16 August 2026
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is uniting with Ireland’s two other historic observatories in an ambitious bid to gain UNESCO World Heritage status.
Along with the Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation and Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (Dunsink Observatory), the three observatories are known as the Historic Astronomical Observatories of Ireland (HAOI).
Together, they have agreed a formal partnership to advance research, education/outreach and astronomical heritage recognition, the HAOI being a key component of the latter.
UNESCO World Heritage properties and sites are places of outstanding importance to all people, no matter where they live, and form a common inheritance for humanity.
They are recognised by UNESCO as having such outstanding universal value that their conservation is important for current and future generations.
Armagh, Birr and Dunsink all exhibit exceptional testimony to a key stage in scientific astronomy which has had a profound impact on our understanding of the Cosmos.
Without the innovations demonstrated here, modern astronomical observatories would simply not exist in their current form. Their discoveries led to the concept of the external galaxies beyond the Milky Way, vastly increasing humanity’s understanding of the scale of the Universe.
Welcoming the UNESCO World Heritage bid, Professor Michael Burton, Director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, hailed it ‘a landmark step’.
“We are delighted to see our UNESCO ambitions moving forward and look forward to this exciting bid progressing in the months ahead.
“Being designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site would truly put Armagh Observatory and Planetarium on the map and give it global recognition as a world-class site of outstanding scientific importance.
“We are proud to be the oldest scientific institution in Northern Ireland and the longest continuously operating astronomical research institute in the United Kingdom and Ireland.”
Armagh, Birr and Dunsink contain a number of exceptionally well-preserved historic observatories, their supporting domestic buildings and surrounding grounds along with several original telescopes fixed within their domes or structures.
As the UNESCO World Heritage bid gathers momentum, HAOI is seeking to appoint a Project Co-ordinator on a five-year term to take the proposal forward.
The Project Coordinator’s main objective will be to organise the activities required in the development of the World Heritage Site nomination process. This will include developing and implementing an extensive public awareness strategy, communication, and promoting engagement and outreach activities with all stakeholders.
World Heritage UK’s annual conference will be held in Portrush on October 5 and 6, where there will be presentations on all the UNESCO tentative list sites on the island of Ireland, including Armagh.
The UNESCO nomination also features the story of Romney Robinson, who was director of Armagh Observatory from 1823 until his death in 1882.
Robinson, who invented the cup anemometer for measuring wind speed, was President of the Royal Irish Academy and won a Royal Medal in 1862.
Meanwhile, the iconic Leviathan Telescope at Birr plays an important part in the UNESCO bid – as well as being a key feature of Ireland’s EU Presidency logo, which is inspired by Birr’s world-famous astronomical heritage.
The official logo is based on the spiral structure of the Whirlpool Nebula, first identified in the 1840s using the Great Telescope at Birr Castle.
The pattern is also inspired by Irish sculptural work reflecting a connection with ancient Irish symbols, reinterpreted through a modern lens.
Each individual arm of the spiral features 27 discs which symbolise the 27 EU Member States.
The resulting space at the centre forms a five-point star, a symbol from the EU flag. Blue, green and orange symbolise both the Irish state and the European Union.
For more information about Armagh Observatory and Planetarium visit Armagh Space.
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