A fascinating collection of rarely seen original designs, sketches and watercolours by some of the nation’s greatest engineers, inventors, and artists.

The exhibition is being sponsored by the Watercolours + Works on Paper Fair, which is being held in the Science Museum for the first time.

 
The relationship between science and art is closer than many might think – the designs and records of even the most complex technology have a beauty and symmetry that many great artists would envy. ‘The Art of Invention’ is a celebration of art in science, with over 40 original sketches, plans, designs and diagrams chosen especially for their aesthetic appeal. Picked from the vast archives of the Science Museum, most of these images have never before been exhibited to the public. 

'Design of a Losh and Stephenson Locomotive Steam Engine'

Simon Goodrich c 1826

The exhibits include:

* An original 1840 technical drawing by Charles Babbage of his “Analytical Engine” the forerunner of the modern computer.

* Intricate engineering plans by Marc Brunel, drawn before his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel gained worldwide fame.

* Drawings by Hooper coachbuilding firm, for  a sledge for Queen Victoria, and from the 1940s for the Daimler drophead coupe.

* A breathtaking 6 feet-long original watercolour from 1853 of the SS Great Eastern, by Brunel’s collaborator and the builder of the ship, John Scott Russell.

Click here for images of many of the exhibits.

Charles Deane’s diving demonstration at Portsmouth'

 Simon Goodrich, c 1830.

The exhibition will also include a collection of early photographs.

The exhibition is being held alongside the Watercolours + Works on Paper Fair which presents several thousand watercolours, prints, posters and photographs for sale, all vetted by experts and exhibited by 60 leading art dealers.

Opens daily at 11 am. Closing times: Wed & Thurs 9 pm, Fri & Sat 8 pm, Sun 6 pm. Entry to the ‘Art of Invention’ is free. Tickets to the Watercolours + Works on Paper Fair cost £10, children under 14 free.

For further information about ‘The Art of Invention’ exhibition or the Watercolours & Works on Paper Art Fair, visit www.worksonpaperfair.com or call 01798 861815.