Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy (RA) was created by a group of 36 artists and architects, including the Royal Academy's first president, Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was motivated to elevate British art and architecture to a professional level. They established Britain's first art school, which is now a key feature of the campus, and a biennial show that continues to attract top artists from around the world.

The New Royal Academy opened its doors in 2018 to commemorate the Royal Academy's 250th anniversary, with new spaces including the state-of-the-art Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries, which provide a third suite of galleries for temporary exhibitions. With galleries dedicated to architecture, site-specific installations, free exhibits, and the work of RA students, the reconstruction created a wealth of new public space. An extensive public events program is offered by a permanent new lecture theatre and learning center.

The collection is primarily comprised of British art and painters from the 18th century to the current day. Major works by Joshua Reynolds, Laura Knight, Angelica Kauffman, Anthony Caro, and Yinka Shonibare are among the highlights. Grayson Perry, Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, David Hockney, Tracey Emin, Antony Gormley, and Anish Kapoor are among the present Royal Academicians, as are John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, JMW Turner, Lord Leighton, and Stanley Spencer.

Address: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

Website: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/