What changed in 2018...

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  1. More major exhibitions

  Opened in 2018, the Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries host major exhibitions with a focus on living artists and architects. Our first exhibition in this brand-new space was by internationally renowned visual artist, Tacita Dean, and focused on landscape. It was followed by a celebration of the remarkable architect Renzo Piano. More exhibitions by contemporary artists and architects are scheduled for 2019 and 2020.

  See all exhibitions

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  2. Free art displays

  Treasures from our historic Collection went on display for the first time in 2018, free of charge, all across our site. In a new gallery you’ll find works by artists including Michelangelo, Constable and Gainsborough, along with a spectacular 16th-century copy of The Last Supper. Crossing through the Vaults, you’ll pass casts of ancient Greek and Roman statues, while another display presents highlights from our sculpture collection.

  The display of the RA Collection has been curated by Royal Academicians and designed by renowned museographer Adrien Gardère.

  Explore the Collection

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  3. Contemporary and classical architecture

  The RA250 building project, designed by acclaimed architect Sir David Chipperfield RA and unveiled in 2018, linked our two sites at Burlington House and Burlington Gardens for the the first time, creating one unified cultural campus. Inside, you’ll find free galleries dedicated to experimental architectural interventions, with displays around the building that showcase work by contemporary architects, RAs and historic casts from our Collection.

  Our architecture programme

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  4. More debates, courses and workshops

  In the Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, we’ve built on the RA’s tradition of hosting debates and discussions by inviting celebrated thinkers from across the arts to come and share their ideas and opinions. In the Clore Learning Centre, we’re exploring the practice and the theory of art through both expert-led courses and creative workshops for families, schools and community groups.

  See all events

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  5. More space for the RA Schools

  For as long as there’s been a Royal Academy of Arts, there’s been an RA Schools – soon to embark on its own expansion by Sir David Chipperfield RA.

  Artists on our free three-year postgraduate course work in studios just beyond our galleries, but they’ve typically been off-limits to visitors. Now, students at the RA Schools have their own public project space, the Weston Studio. Throughout the year, individuals and groups from the Schools at various stages of their training will take over the space, using it as a testing ground for innovative works and thought-provoking installations.

  More about the RA Schools

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  6. More places to eat, drink and shop

  We brought you more space to relax and unwind in 2018, with two new café spaces in Burlington Gardens. Pick up an espresso from the Poster Bar before setting off for an exhibition, or head to the elegant Senate Room dining room and bar for afternoon tea or a few post-show drinks. We’ve also added a Newsstand, where you can pick up art magazines, stationery and more, and a new personal shopping service.

  Plan your visit