


In 1693 Robert Hooke FRS drank tea with visiting Chinese merchants in London, and attempted to learn some words of Chinese (with little success).The Royal Society's interest in China and Chinese science has continued up to the present day. This exhibition tells the story of Fellows such as Joseph and Dorothy Needham, who lived in China and established strong links with Chinese scientists during the 1940s, and Sir Harold Thompson, Chair of the Football Association, who attempted to organise an Arsenal tour of China in 1972.