Zooming in on 50 years of progress during the ESA gala dinner

On 22 April, the Louwman Museum welcomed 450 guests for a special evening organized by the European Space Agency as part of the European Frequency and Time Forum 2026. In the Great Hall, Select Catering served an elegant three course dinner in a setting that encouraged meeting one another and engaging in good conversation.

This evening the focus was on the Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes: a world class collection that shows how people have been looking further for centuries. From a lens by Christiaan Huygens to refined telescopes from European courts.

The highlight was the Patroni telescope, a magnificent example of craftsmanship and precision from the 18th century and a strong link to the work of the EFTF community and ESA today.

In ESAs anniversary year, this took on extra meaning: from glass and light to space travel and technology. An evening where past and future came together.