Contrary to common belief, Galileo Galilei was not the official inventor of the telescope. However, he was the man who converted it from a novelty plaything, made of glass and mirrors, into a genuine instrument of science, used to document uncharted territories in the skies.
A new, exclusive exhibit opening Saturday at The Franklin depicts the telescope’s transformation from curious oddity into a tool used for great scientific advancement in an exhibition titled “Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy,” on view through Sept. 7. Spread over 7,000 square feet of exhibition space, “Galileo” is a tribute to the intersection of art and science, as beautifully constructed, gleaming inventions take up every corner of the generous exhibition space.