Residents will have the rare opportunity to explore the historic Bushy House this May.

On Saturday 20 May 2023, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) will be opening the House and its gardens to the public, which normally, can only be viewed from Bushy Park itself.

Bushy House was the residence of William Duke of Clarence (William IV) and his mistress Dora Jordan from 1797, and was offered to the Royal Society by Queen Victoria in 1900 as a location to establish NPL.

Today, the NPL is a world leader in metrology (the scientific study of measurement) and the national measurement standards laboratory of the United Kingdom, setting and maintaining physical standards for the British industry.

The move to open Bushy Park and its grounds to the public coincides with Metrology Day (also 20 May), the annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 - the world-wide uniformity of measurement which remains as important today as it was in 1875.

Doors will open from 10am - 4.30pm allowing visitors the chance to glimpse inside the house, which dates back to the 1660s, and explore an array of historic photos and artefacts.

Running from 11am - 3pm, Scientists from NPL will also be running demonstrations throughout the day including the popular liquid nitrogen show.

It is free to reserve your spot for the Bushy House open day but demand is expected to be high so those interested are encouraged to book their spots as soon as possible.

For more information and to book your free tickets, visit the link here.

More details on Metrology Day can be found here.