Nobel Laureate and former vice-chancellor of the ANU Brian Schmidt unveiled the Canberra Museum + Gallery’s latest exhibition on Monday, Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars, marking the 100th anniversary of Mount Stromlo Observatory.

Schmidt said that when he had first come to Mount Stromlo from Harvard at age 27 in 1995, it was already a respected centre of astronomy.

He praised the vision of its many directors, but most significantly that of the founding director Walter Geoffrey Duffield, suggesting that his determination to get Mount Stromlo built bordered on the obsessive as he persevered for 25 years, only to die at the moment of his success.

Prof Schmidt said that the project, which led to Mount Stromlo becoming one of the five to 10 most important such centres in the world, had been largely funded by philanthropy.

Developed in collaboration with astrophysicist Brad Tucker, we heard from CMAG director Anna Wong, the exhibition explores the history of the observatory, tracing its transformation from a solar observatory to a global centre for astronomical research.

Highlights in a show that is suitable, they’re saying, for children interested in science and for their adults, features the 19th century Farnham Telescope, the only such instrument to survive the 2003 bushfire, moved for the first time since 1928 to CMAG.

Also on display are historical photographs of early observations of the solar system, an arcade-style game based on real lasers that destroy space debris, and a digital installation titled Gravitational Weave.

The exhibition is supported by a range of public programs, including stargazing events and astronomy talks.

Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars, at Canberra Museum + Gallery, until November, 2025.