The exhibition at the Museum of Art and History delves into the universal human experience of skywatching and maps the evolution of celestial navigation instruments over the centuries. It also examines the adoption of timekeeping practices by the worlds of work, transport and sport, as well as the role that Neuchâtel has played in the measurement of time since the founding of the Cantonal Observatory in 1858. 

Thanks to the development of atomic clocks, Neuchâtel is making quantum leaps in its quest for precision. Today, it is no longer the infinitely large that allows us to accurately measure time, but the infinitely small. The exhibition also highlights the challenges arising from the planned redefinition of the second in 2030 and the establishment of a separate time zone for the moon, which will be vitally important for future space missions.

In Pursuit of Time is further enhanced with immersive installations and virtual content courtesy of EPFL's Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+). A dome screen offers an awe-inspiring view of the cosmos while a digital reconstruction allows visitors to explore the Neuchâtel Observatory. A sound installation reveals how time has gradually shaped and synchronised our everyday lives and a digital platform gives visitors the chance to have a virtual chat with Adolph Hirsch (1830–1901), the Observatory's founder and first director.

The exhibition also benefits from the valuable input of the Time-Frequency Laboratory and the Institute of History at the University of Neuchâtel. 

In Pursuit of Time is part of the Des Étoiles aux Atomes… L’Observatoire cantonal deNeuchâtel [From Stars to Atoms… The Neuchâtel Cantonal Observatory] project, which is supported by the Association Automates & Merveilles, which brings together four of the canton's most celebrated institutions. 

Opening Saturday 20 June (schedule to be confirmed)

To the project page From Stars to Atoms