Royal Academy of Arts
Royal Academy of Arts, 6, Burlington Gardens W1
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1291018
- Date first listed:
- 09-Jan-1970
- List Entry Name:
- Royal Academy of Arts
- Statutory Address:
- Royal Academy of Arts, 6, Burlington Gardens W1
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
 |
Buildings |
 |
Scheduled monuments |
 |
Parks and gardens |
 |
Battlefields |
 |
Shipwrecks |
Images of England Project
- Date:
- 1999-11-06
- Reference:
- IOE01/02038/17
- Rights:
- © Mr Richard Hunter. Source: Historic England Archive
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1291018
- Date first listed:
- 09-Jan-1970
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 01-Dec-1987
- List Entry Name:
- Royal Academy of Arts
- Statutory Address 1:
- Royal Academy of Arts, 6, Burlington Gardens 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:
- Royal Academy of Arts, 6, Burlington Gardens 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 29163 80619
Details
This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 06/03/2018
TQ 2980 NW; 70/33
CITY OF WESTMINSTER,
BURLINGTON GARDENS W1,
No. 6, The Royal Academy of Arts
(Formerly listed as: Ethnography Department of the British Museum; Previously listed as Civil Service Commission)
09.01.70
GV
II*
Built as the headquarters of the University of London, museum when surveyed.
1866-69 by Sir James Pennethorne. Portland stone and pink sandstone;
slate roof. Boldly modelled free Renaissance classicism, richly carved
and endowed with free standing statues sculpted by J. Durham, P.
MacDowell, W. Theed, E. W. Wyon, J. S. Westmacott, W. F. Woodington and
M. Noble. Two tall storeys and basement. Main centre block of seven bays
with flanking square pavilion-towers, 3-bay wings and flanking archways.
The centrepiece has a projecting colonnaded portico approached by
balustrated steps at sides. Arcaded upper storey with giant order
of Corinthian columns between the pavilion-towers which have square
attics bearing clock face and weathervane dial. The wings have statues
in niches to ground storey and 3-light windows above articulated by
Corinthian columns. Enriched cornices and balustraded parapets. The
portico surmounted by seated scientific worthies and standing figures
of same on the balustraded roof parapet. Carriage archways to east
and west, the former partly blind. Returns of red and black brick
and sandstone. Although altered the interior retains grand clerestory-
lit central stairwell, hall and landing each being screened from well
by three large arches. The stairs rise one flight and then divide.
Ornate plasterwork to 1st-floor ceilings etc.
Survey of London; vol XXXII
Listing NGR: TQ2916380619
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 208940
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Survey of London in The Parish of Westminster Part 2 North of Piccadilly: Volumes 31 and 32 , Vol. 32, (1963)
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 11-Jun-2026 at 06:18:19.
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.