The Royal Institution
THE ROYAL INSTITUTION, 21, ALBEMARLE STREET W1
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1066521
- Date first listed:
- 24-Feb-1958
- List Entry Name:
- The Royal Institution
- Statutory Address:
- THE ROYAL INSTITUTION, 21, ALBEMARLE STREET W1
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2005-01-07
- Reference:
- IOE01/13436/05
- Rights:
- © Mr Anthony Rau. Source: Historic England Archive
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Official list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1066521
- Date first listed:
- 24-Feb-1958
- List Entry Name:
- The Royal Institution
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE ROYAL INSTITUTION, 21, ALBEMARLE STREET W1
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE ROYAL INSTITUTION, 21, ALBEMARLE STREET W1
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- City of Westminster (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 29004 80621
Details
TQ 2880 NE, CITY OF WESTMINSTER ALBEMARLE STREET W1 2980 NW 69/144 ; 70/21 24.2.58 No 21 (The Royal Institution)
GV I
Originally a terraced town house acquired for the Royal Institution in 1799. Built in 1756, brick, 3 storeys, 12 bays and then only one bay deep. Altered for Institution by Thomas Webster in 1799 and then in 1838 given a commensurately grand front by Lewis Vulliamy - regularised as 13 bays and rendered with a screen of giant engaged fluted Corinthian columns, on low pedestals, through the 3 storeys. Plain central square headed doorway with cornice on consoles. Revealed glazing bar sash windows, flat arches. Deep crowning entablature with projecting cornice. Stone balustraded area. The interior altered for the Institution by Webster with George Saunders as consultant: the staircase up to 1st floor retained from mid-C18 house, stone with wrought iron balustrade returned to galleried landing (plasterwork to walls and ceiling of 1928); semicircular shaped lecture theatre of c. 1800 with gallery; 'Conversation Room' (i.e. Scientific Gentleman's Library); Faraday's magnetic laboratory; statuary marble chimneypiece etc. Otherwise numerous alterations and embellishments in 1928-30 by Rome Guthrie. Association with Humphrey Davy and Michael Faraday etc.
Listing NGR: TQ2900480621
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 208514
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jul-2026 at 11:28:36.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.