Royal Albert Hall

The domed Royal Albert Hall in Kensington is a British national treasure. The Grade I listed building serves primarily as a concert venue for classical music, but has hosted a variety of events in all fields over the 150 years of its existence.

With a distinct iron-wrought dome, terracotta façade and mosaic frieze ringing the top, the Royal Albert Hall is a memorable landmark and one of London’s most popular sights. The building, inaugurated in 1871, has an ornate main auditorium with plush red seating, balconies and a striking organ dominating the room. Its total capacity is 5,272 people, though there are other, smaller spaces for events within the building as well.

Royal Albert Hall is primarily a venue for classical music concerts, with the highlight each year being BBC Proms, an eight-week summer series of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other related events. In addition to classical music, the venue also hosts rock and pop shows from stars such as David Gilmour and Kylie Minogue, ballet, opera, film screenings, ceremonies such as the Brit Awards, charity events and much more, amounting to over 390 shows per year just in the main auditorium and a further 400 in the other spaces. Throughout the decades, important historical figures have been hosted and performed here, imbuing the place with a rich cultural history. This includes speeches from Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein, exhibition bouts by Muhammad Ali and more.