Discover the Legacy of Science and Splendour at Versailles
Versailles: Science and Splendour
Versailles, famous for its opulent palace and gardens, wasn't just the center of French royal power in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was also a lively place for scientific exploration. From early medical practices to the first hot-air balloon flights, the link between royalty and science is explored in the "Versailles: Science and Splendour" exhibition. If you're planning a visit, here’s a look at what to expect.
STOP 1 – MEDICINE: THE WELLCOME GALLERIES
Start your journey at the Medicine galleries on level 1. Take Lift or Stairs C before the Exploring Space exhibit. Once inside, go through 'Medicine and Bodies' and 'Exploring Medicine,' then turn left into 'Medicine and Treatments.' The first thing you'll see is a letter from Queen Victoria in the Surgery and Innovation section. Dated December 1859, she writes about how chloroform changed her life as an anesthetic during childbirth and encourages other women to consider it.
Going back to the previous century, King Louis XVI also played a role in medicine. Shortly after becoming king in 1774, he promoted smallpox inoculation. This was a big deal because people in France were skeptical, especially after Louis XV died from the disease. By getting himself and his family inoculated, Louis XVI hoped to show people it was safe.
STOP 2 – INFORMATION AGE
Head back toward 'Exploring Medicine' and take Lift or Stairs D to level 2. The Information Age gallery is to your right. Inside, find the 'Cable' section on the left, where there's a Mechanical puppet theatre. The puppet show tells the story of the electric telegraph, along with an experiment by Abbé Nollet. In 1746, Nollet gathered monks and made a human chain with metal wires. He wanted to see how fast electricity could travel through the chain by shocking the first monk. But electricity was so fast that all the monks got shocked at the same time.
Nollet later did the same experiment with soldiers at Versailles, which helped spread scientific ideas among the royal court. An air pump, used to show royal children how air works, is also on display in the Versailles exhibition.
STOP 3 – MATHEMATICS: THE WINTON GALLERY
Leave the Information Age gallery and go to Mathematics: The Winton Gallery on the same level. Find the 'Perspective' section, where you'll see a print of Herrenhausen Gardens. This shows how important math was in designing European gardens. The garden's layout shows mathematical rules and the power that went into designing the scene.
At the same time, King Louis XIV was changing the gardens at Versailles. Starting in the 1660s, he used surveying tools to create huge, orderly gardens that showed his control over nature.
STOP 4 – SCIENCE CITY 1550 – 1800: THE LINBURY GALLERY
From the Mathematics gallery, go straight into Science City. Walk past 'A New Trade in London' and turn left to find the Royal Society diorama. Founded in 1660, the Royal Society brought together leading scientists, creating a network for research. The diorama features an air pump like Nollet's, showing how the society's members experimented.
A few years later, King Louis XIV started the Royal Academy of Sciences in France to boost the country's scientific reputation. The academy aimed to attract top minds from Europe, some of whom helped build the Palace of Versailles. This was a time of teamwork and competition in science.
STOP 5 – THE CLOCKMAKERS’ MUSEUM
Go across level 2 to the Clockmakers’ Museum and walk down to Display X: 'John Harrison (1693 – 1776), The Challenge of Longitude.' In the 18th century, sailors struggled to find their longitude at sea. They needed better timekeeping devices. The British government offered a £20,000 prize in 1714 for a solution. John Harrison's H4 timekeeper won, and it's similar to the H5 on display.
The exhibition also looks at French efforts to measure longitude accurately, with curator Richard Dunn examining a sea clock on display at Versailles: Science and Splendour. I found this was a nice comparison of British and French innovations.
STOP 6 – FLIGHT
Keep going through the Clockmakers’ Museum and then go up to level 3 for the Flight gallery. At the entrance, there's a model of the Montgolfier hot-air balloon. In September 1783, King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and 130,000 people watched the first hot-air balloon launch from Versailles. It carried a sheep, a duck, and a cockerel, all of whom landed safely. This was the start of human flight, thanks to the Montgolfier brothers.
To see everything, visit "Versailles: Science and Splendour" before it closes on April 21, 2025. Tickets start at £12 on the museum’s website.
Pro Tip: The Science Museum can get crowded, especially on weekends. If you want a more relaxed experience, try visiting on a weekday morning.
In conclusion, the legacy of Versailles is a compelling journey through the intertwined histories of science and royal splendor. The exploration of medical advancements, technological inventions, and important experiments highlights the palace's significance beyond mere opulence. While reviews and feedback serve to inform, nothing can quite substitute for personal experience. When planning a trip, the booking platform provides options to hire a car with a driver from trustworthy providers at competitive prices. This service empowers travelers to make educated choices while avoiding excess costs or disappointments. Explore the convenience, affordability, and extensive vehicle selection offered by the transfer service as you travel to your next destination. Book your ride today at this service.
