The Donald Barber Lecture Theatre and adjacent Meeting Room

The Barber Lecture Theatre
The Barber Theatre is used for lectures of the Society, as a video theatre at public openings and for presentations to schools and university groups. The Society intends to provide an expanding series of lectures including sciences relevant to the coast and countryside. the new building will also house the books of the reference library.

Small Meeting Room
Most GCSE classes take place in the small meeting room, which is also used  by Special Interest Groups and as directors boardroom. The  Meeting Room  is adjacent to the Barber Lecture Theatre and can be opened into it by a moveable wall. As a class-room or board room it seats  12  persons at tables, but as a small theatre it seats 24 persons. 

Library
Sir Norman Lockyer was the founder of the world’s premier science journal, Nature. He was its editor for more than fifty years. Arguably, this is Lockyer’s greatest gift to science. The library, which is presently in store at Exeter University, will return to the observatory when the project is complete. The library comprises a set of the journal Nature from the first issue in 1869 to about the mid 1970s, Lockyer’s own published works, bound volumes of the proceedings of the Royal Society and other contemporary works. 

The collection will be separate from the members' lending library and be available to bona fide students of science history for reference only. The material does not form a unique collection and most universities have similar collections. 

Hire Charges

Rooms may be hired between 9.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m. Use of the kitchen, on an agreed DIY basis, is included, but there are no catering staff at the observatory. Caretaker.

The Observatory other facilities such as the James Lockyer Planetarium or telescopes are NOT included when the theatre is hired by other organisations. However,  the Society's volunteers may agree to  provide such "educational entertainment" if separate arrangements are made with the General Secretary.

Charges for hire by commercial organisations are as follows:
Theatre £120 per 3 hr session (M,A,E) or £300 per day
small meeting room £50 per 3 hr session or £120 per day
Use of video/sound systems £ 25 per session.

For hire by not-for-profit organisations having similar aims to  the Society (or organisations that have given material support to the Observatory and this project) charges are as follows:
Theatre £60 per 3 hr session (M,A,E) or £150 per day
small meeting room £25 per 3 hr session or £60 per day
Use of video/sound systems £ 25 per session.

Hire is possible only by agreement with the general secretary and if the Observatory is available. Advance booking is always  necessary.