The King's Observatory was commissioned in by King George III, who was fascinated with the science of his time. It was constructed in Richmond, Surrey. The King was particularly keen that the Observatory should be ready for the 1769 passage of Venus across the Sun, which it was. The passage of Venus was observed from the King's Observatory by King George, Queen Charlotte, the Superintendent of the Observatory Dr Demainbray and others early in the morning of 3 June 1769. After this time, the Observatory was used by the King for various purposes, including the education of the royal children. The glass cabinets constructed within the two main octagonal parts of the building housed amongst other things an excellent collection of mathematical instruments and the King's collection of clocks and watches.

In 1840, the Observatory was taken over for the British Association for the Advancement of Science.