The album contains photographs of an exhibition conducted during the bicentennial of Madras Observatory at IIA campus on December 6, 1986. It can be seen that hundreds of photos and astronomical equipment showcasing the history of 200 years were displayed by the library team for the public.

The album contains photographs taken during the unveiling ceremony of the bicentennial plaque at IIA Bangalore campus on 06 January 1987. The bicentennial plaque was unveiled by Prof M. G. K. Menon, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to commemorate the bicentennial of the setting up an observatory at Madras by Wiliam Petrie in 1786 to which the Indian Institute of Astrophysics traces the origin.