The exhibition, a collaboration between the Science Museum and the Palace of Versailles, features more than 100 objects from the reigns of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. It was a time when scientific knowledge intersected with imperial power at the palace complex, spurring an aristocratic craze for scientific knowledge.
At the opulent palace, royals and aristocrats talked about science, hosted luminaries of their time and incorporated new scientific knowledge into court life. Physics, chemistry and even zoology fascinated members of the French court.
The magnificent (now stuffed) rhino will be on display at the London exhibition, along with other scientific treasures, including Jean-Dominique Cassini's moon map - a major scientific advancement in its day.
A lavish watch commissioned for Marie Antoinette - said to be the world's most famous watch - is also in the collection. The timepiece possessed then-state-of-the-art features known as "complications," according to the museum.
Collection
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