Royal Academy of Arts: A must-visit in London

Founded personally by King George III in 1768, the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) was established to improve the professional status of artists, and to create a gallery space that held high standards.

Before arriving in its current home – the grandiose private Palladian mansion of Burlington House – the RA was set up in Pall Mall, then the old and new Somerset House, followed by a wing of the National Gallery. Exactly 100 years after its foundation, the RA finally became established in Burlington House. Owned by the British government but also one of the earliest and largest private residences built on Piccadilly, Burlington House provides an impressive welcome to the RA.

• Summer Exhibition 2018. The RA’s legendary annual Summer Exhibition is bigger and better for the RA’s 250^th year this summer, with Grayson Perry CBE RA chairing the show. 12 June to 19 August 2018
• The Great Spectacle: 250 Years of the Summer Exhibition. This extra celebration during this year’s Summer Exhibition tells the story of 250 years of the Summer Exhibition. 12 June to 19 August 2018
• Renzo Piano. A show about an architect with iconic buildings across the world, the Renzo Piano exhibition looks at 50 years of his pioneering work, from the Shard to the Pompidou Centre in Paris. 15 September 2018 to 20 January 2019

There’s always something new to discover at the RA, from world-class exhibitions to unassuming corners of Burlington House for quiet reflection. The RA shop and The Keeper’s House – a bar, lounge and secret garden – are relatively unknown spots in London that make you feel like a local too.

Visitors of The Athenaeum can take a ten-minute stroll along Piccadilly to reach the RA, which is open Monday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, plus a late opening until 10pm on Fridays.