History of the Clock Gallery Project

David Bisno, M.D., a retired ophthalmologist with an interest in the history of horology, was teaching a course entitled “It’s About Time” within the VISTAS Institute for Lifelong Learning for retirees in Santa Barbara during the winter of 2010. Sue Mellor, a Courthouse Docent and a student in David’s class, invited David, his wife, Fay, and a few of his students to come see the courthouse clock, hidden from the public behind plywood walls high up in the courthouse tower since 1929.

Volunteer clock keeper, Mostyn Gale unlocked the plywood door and also unlocked David’s and Fay’s imaginations, they having recently returned from visiting world class watch and clock museums in Switzerland.

After meeting Dick and Maryan Schall, who were students in the class and avid local clock collectors and philanthropists, the Bisnos envisioned turning the musty storage room into a sparkling gallery of horology in which citizens, students and visitors to Santa Barbara could enjoy learning about this wondrous clock and its place in the history of time keeping.

Local experts willing to volunteer were identified and Will Andrewes, former curator of Harvard University’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and The Time Museum, and clock conservator at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, was prevailed upon to act as official advisor.