Bath Exhibition Celebrates Herschel Siblings' Astronomical Legacy
A new contemporary art exhibition at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath, UK, celebrates the pioneering astronomical work of 18th-century siblings William and Caroline Herschel. Titled 'The As-Yet Unseen', the show features site-specific artworks by Irish artist Grace Weir, integrated throughout the Georgian townhouse where the Herschels lived and worked. Highlights include an embroidered linen tablecloth replicating William's 1785 Milky Way drawing, placed on the family dining table, and an LED counter in the basement workshop tracking Uranus's changing distance from Earth. Weir's installation 'An Imperfect Account' pays tribute to Caroline's comet discoveries, using meteorite and obsidian. The exhibition aims to highlight Caroline's often-overlooked contributions, as she discovered eight comets and became England's first paid female astronomer. Curator Amy Frost of Bath Preservation Trust noted this is the museum's first integration of contemporary artworks. The show runs from 5 September until 3 January 2027, alongside a second exhibition on William's son, John Herschel's photography.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'The As-Yet Unseen' runs from 5 September until 3 January 2027 at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath.
- Irish artist Grace Weir created site-specific artworks for the show.
- One artwork features an embroidered copy of William Herschel's 1785 Milky Way drawing on a linen tablecloth.
- Another piece, 'An Imperfect Account', includes meteorite and obsidian, inspired by Caroline Herschel's comet discoveries.
- An LED digital counter in the basement workshop records Uranus's changing distance from Earth.
- Caroline Herschel discovered eight comets and was the first woman in England paid as an astronomer.
- The exhibition is the first time contemporary art has been integrated into the museum, according to senior curator Amy Frost.
- A second exhibition on John Herschel's photography also runs until January.
Entities
Artists
- Grace Weir
- William Herschel
- Caroline Herschel
- John Herschel
Institutions
- Herschel Museum of Astronomy
- Bath Preservation Trust
Locations
- Bath
- United Kingdom
- Germany