The Royal Institution Location Guide

The Royal Institution is rooted in scientific exploration and public engagement and is located at 21 Albemarle Street in Mayfair, London. Established in 1799 during a meeting at the Soho Square house of the President of the Royal Society of London, Joseph Banks. The Royal Institution has played a pivotal role in introducing new technologies and educating the general public through lectures and demonstrations. Acquiring its Royal Charter in 1800, the institution transitioned from a private organisation to a public institution by an Act of Parliament in 1810, evolving into a membership organisation that thrives to this day.

The Royal Institution’s historic significance includes groundbreaking scientific endeavours and the contributions of visionaries such as Michael Faraday. From the discovery of electromagnetic rotations in 1821 to Faraday’s invention of the Faraday cage in 1836, the Royal Institution has been a centre for scientific innovation.

Over its two-century history, the Royal Institution’s buildings and laboratories have been witness to remarkable scientific achievements. Notable events include James Dewar’s invention of the Dewar flask in 1892 and Kathleen Lonsdale’s identification of the structure of benzene in 1925. The advancing scientific knowledge continued with the completion of the structure of lysozyme in 1965 by David Chilton Phillips and Louise Johnson.

It’s not just the science that has advanced since the 19th century, the Royal Institution’s home on Albemarle Street has been witness to evolution itself. From the design of its theatre by Tomas Webster in 1800 to the unveiling of the Faraday statue in 1876, to the Faraday Museum and Archive opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.

The Royal Institution has also seen challenging times in its tenure in Mayfair, such as its basement serving as a bomb shelter during the Second World War, as well as an electrical substation exploding not long after a Christmas lecture in 1927, which led to the theatre having to be demolished and rebuilt.

When you’ve finished walking around the Royal Institute, drop into our French restaurant in Mayfair for a relaxing experience featuring some delicious food and wine.