Joseph Pope, orrery clock (detail), 1780. Mahogany, ebony, brass, silvered brass, glass, lead, iron, steel. Partial gift of Frank Hohmann, III and Museum purchase with the Henry H. and Zoe Oliver Sherman Fund.
Joseph Pope, orrery clock (detail), 1780. Mahogany, ebony, brass, silvered brass, glass, lead, iron, steel. Partial gift of Frank Hohmann, III and Museum purchase with the Henry H. and Zoe Oliver Sherman Fund.
Joseph Pope’s Orrery Clock: Boston and the World in the 18th Century
1:00 pm–2:30 pm
Tickets (Member / Nonmember)
In-Person $28 / $35
Livestream $16 / $20
In 1780, at the height of the American Revolution, Boston clockmaker and scientist Joseph Pope created an extraordinary tall case clock that is now deemed one of the most sophisticated scientific instruments made in the British North American colonies. Pope’s clock not only incorporates a functioning orrery, or planetarium; it has a 24-hour dial that tracks the time in ports around the globe. Take a closer look at this mechanical and scientific wonder and explore the significance of its melding of art and science in 18th-century Boston.
Nonie Gadsden, Katherine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts, Art of the Americas
Course Packages
Purchase a ticket package for the full eight-session “America at 250: Expanding the American Story Through Art” course. Please note that this option is not available after the date of the first session.
Assistive listening system
Wheelchair accessible
Ticket Information
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.
Livestream Tickets
The livestream ticket gives access to a live feed of the event that can be watched remotely. You must be logged in to the account used to purchase the ticket in order to access the livestream on the Video Content page. Please log in at least 5 minutes before the start of the event to test your connection.
Livestream ticket holders must watch the event live; there is no recording of the event available for viewing at a later time.
Bag Checks
All bags are subject to inspection by Museum staff. Backpacks, large bags, all liquids including hand sanitizer and sunscreen, and outside food or drink are not permitted. Exceptions are made for medical or religious needs. All bags are strongly discouraged, and any bags larger than 11” x 15” must be checked in the Coat Room upon entry. Read our full bag check policy.