Our history | Royal Institution
Our history
The Royal Institution was founded to 'introduce new technologies and teach science to the general public through lectures and demonstrations'. We've been connecting people to science for over 200 years.
Connecting people with science for 200 years
The Royal Institution was founded in a meeting at the Soho Square house of the President of the
Royal Society of London
Joseph Banks
, on 7 March 1799.
From the very start, our purpose was to introduce new technologies and teach science to the general public through lectures and demonstrations.
Our Royal Charter was granted in 1800, and we became a membership organisation in 1810, a tradition which is still going strong today. We were converted from a private organisation, owned by a small number of proprietors, to a public institution by an Act of Parliament.
Over the last two centuries, our building and labs have been home to groundbreaking science engagement, including the world-famous CHRISTMAS LECTURES, and scientists, such as Michael Faraday, whose discoveries have helped shape the modern world.
Explore iconic objects from our collection
Timelines of the Ri
Learn about some of the groundbreaking science that has taken place at the Ri.
1821 – Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic rotations
1825 – Faraday discovered the chemical benzene
1825 – Faraday was the first to liquify a gas, in this case, chlorine
1831 – Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction
1836 – Faraday invented the
Faraday cage
, an enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields. It was so large that the only place to construct it was the Ri Theatre
1839 – After being asked by William Fox Talbot, Faraday announced the existence of photography at Discourse on 25 January 1839
1845 – Faraday developed the field theory of electromagnetism
1892 – James Dewar invented the
Dewar flask
, or vacuum flask, in 1892, which was insulated by a partial vacuum and used to help keep gasses cold enough to stay liquid
1892 – Muybridge demonstrates his new
zoopraxiscope
to Ri Members and the Prince of Wales at a special Discourse arranged for the purpose
1897– The existence of the fundamental particle, later called the electron, was announced by
JJ Thomson
at a Discourse on 30 April 1897
1898 – Dewar becomes the first person to liquefy hydrogen on 10 May 1898, whilst working in the basement laboratory of the Ri with his assistants
1925 – Kathleen Lonsdale identifies the structure of benzene a century after Faraday discovered it, by working with photographs taken at the Ri
1965 – the structure of lysozyme was completed by
David Chilton Phillips
(Fullerian Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy at the Ri from 1979–1985) and
Louise Johnson
. This substance, which is found in tears and egg-white, was the first enzyme to have its structure completely determined
Discover the history of our 21 Albemarle Street home, from our founding in 1799 to today.
July 1799 – purchase of 21 Albemarle Street
21 Albemarle Street was purchased as the home of the Ri in July 1799. The building was on the market as the previous owner had been killed by a Highwayman in 1798. It remains our home today. Work quickly began to rapidly make the building into a fully-functioning scientific institution with laboratories, lecture theatres, meeting rooms, libraries, display areas as well as living quarters
1800 – design of our Theatre
Our Theatre was designed by Tomas Webster. Its steeply raked seating was based on university anatomy theatres and allowed the whole audience a clear view of the lecturer’s bench
1837 – a new facade for the Ri
In 1837, a new facade for 21 Albemarle, designed by
Lewis Vuillamy
, was completed. And our central London home looked very much like the Ri you see today
1876 – Faraday statue
Our Faraday statue, by the artists and sculptors
Foley
and
Brock
, was unveiled in 1876 by the then Prince of Wales. Its position in the Grand Staircase was supposed to be temporary, but the statue was never moved and still stands there to this day
1896 – purchase of 20 Albemarle Street
Ludwig Mond
endowed the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory (DFRL) in 1896. This endowment included the purchase of 20 Albemarle Street, which as converted to house the new laboratories and offices
29 December 1927 – explosion and demolition of the Theatre
An electrical substation at 21 Albemarle Street exploded about two hours after one of that year’s CHRISTMAS LECTURES by
Edwarde Neville da Costa Andrade
, which lead to the demolition and rebuilding of the Theatre
1939–1945 – second world war
During the second world war, the Ri basement was used as a bomb shelter, the CHRISTMAS LECTURES were paused, and the evening lectures moved to the afternoon. Fortunately, the Ri didn’t suffer any direct bomb damage, although the windows were blown out by a bomb which fell in Dover Street
1973 – the Faraday Museum and Archive were opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II
Learn more about the history of our work and programmes.
1800 – our first lecture
Our first lecture was delivered in 1800 by Thomas Garnett, who was also the first Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution
1816 – chemical lectures for medical students established
William Thomas Brande established chemical lectures for medical students from St George’s Hospital in 1816, which were held in basement laboratories containing a small seating area
1825 – Discourses began
It’s actually difficult to name a definite date for the beginning of Discourses; they evolved over time, and didn’t immediately get called Discourses, but Michael Faraday gave a lecture in 1825 that it’s fair to call the first Discourse. Discourses started as informal evenings for members in the laboratory but soon the audiences became so large that the format shifted to the theatre
1825 – CHRISTMAS LECTURES began
1862 – research formally becomes one of the Ri's activities
Research was formally adopted as one of the Ri’s activities in 1862. Up to this point, the professors of the Ri had informally carried out their research, but their official role was to give lectures and demonstrations
1896 – the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory
Ludwig Mond
endowed the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory (DFRL). The endowment included the purchase of 20 Albemarle Street, which as converted to house the new laboratories and offices
1956 – Schools Lectures established
School Lectures were established in 1956 by Lawrence Bragg. In the 10 years between their founding and Bragg retiring, 200,000 children attended schools lectures at the Ri
1973 – the Faraday Museum and Archive were opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II
1981 – Ri Mathematics Masterclasses began
Ri Mathematics Masterclasses were established after the interest sparked by Professor Sir Christopher Zeeman’s CHRISTMAS LECTURES, Mathematics into Pictures’, televised in 1978
1998 – Directorships of the Royal Institution and the DFRL are separated
2008 – The L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre is created
Learn about key dates in the history of our
CHRISTMAS LECTURES
1825 – the first CHRISTMAS LECTURES
The first CHRISTMAS LECTURES, on The Chemical History of a Candle, were 15 lectures long, with seven more given at Easter and Whitsun, but within a couple of years the familiar format of a short series of demonstration-filled lectures was established
1861 – Chemical History of a Candle first printed as a book
The Chemical History of a Candle lectures were first printed as a book in 1861, and they are still in print today
1936 – CHRISTMAS LECTURES first broadcast on BBC television
The CHRISTMAS LECTURES were first broadcast on BBC TV in 1936, making them the oldest science television series
1939–1942 – the second world war
From 1939–1942 the CHRISTMAS LECTURES were paused during the second world war
1966 – the first regular televised CHRISTMAS LECTURES
In December 1966 the first regular televised CHRISTMAS LECTURES were broadcast on BBC, presented by Eric Laithwaite and entitled The Engineer in Wonderland
July 1990 – the CHRISTMAS LECTURES travel to Japan
In July 1990, the CHRISTMAS LECTURES travel to Japan for the first time with Charles A Taylor's 1989 Lectures, Exploring Music, to repeat the shows for live audiences, as well as being televised on Japanese National TV
1994 – the first woman delivers a CHRISTMAS LECTURE
Baroness Susan Greenfield became the first woman to deliver the CHRISTMAS LECTURES with Journey to the Centres of the Brain
August 2012 – the CHRISTMAS LECTURES travel to Singapore
The CHRISTMAS LECTURES travel to Singapore in August 2012, in partnership with the Singapore Science Centre, for the first time with Bruce Hood's 2011 CHRISTMAS LECTURES Meet your Brain. The lectures appeared on MediaCorp TV
Many of our past CHRISTMAS LECTURES are also available to
watch online
Discover some of the people behind our rich heritage.
George Finch (1752–1826)
George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea, was elected as our first president in June. It was through his influence with the King, George III, that our Royal handle was acquired that same month
Humphry Davy (1778–1829)
In 1801, Humphry Davy was appointed Director of the Laboratory at the Ri. Davy had made his name by discovering the physiological action of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. He soon became our Professor of Chemistry, firmly establishing the Ri as a popular venue for first rate lectures. Davy also established scientific research as a crucial feature of the Ri
William Thomas Brande (1788–1866)
William Thomas Brande succeeded Davy at the Ri as both Professor of Chemistry and Superintendent of the House in 1813
Michael Faraday (1791–1867)
After Humphry Davy seriously injured himself in a laboratory accident with nitrogen trichloride in 1812, he hired Michael Faraday as an assistant. Michael Faraday started as Laboratory Assistant and was appointed to Superintendent of the House in 1821, and Director of the Laboratory in 1821
John Tyndall (1820–1893)
John Tyndall was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy in 1853 on Farday's suggestion, and then Superintendent of the House in September 1867, after Faraday's death in August
James Dewar (1842–1923)
James Dewar was appointed Fullerian Professor of Chemistry in 1877. After Tyndall retired in 1887, following a row about who will give the CHRISTMAS LECTURES, Dewar was appointed Superintendent of the House and Director of the Laboratory
William Henry Bragg (1862–1942)
William Henry Bragg was appointed as the Director of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory (DFRL) and Superintendent of the House in 1923
Henry Hallett Dale (1875–1968)
Hallett Dale was a medical doctor and researcher. In 1942 he succeeded
William Henry Bragg
at the Ri as Fullerian Professor of Chemistry, Superintendent of the House and Director of the DFRL and held all these posts until 1946.
Eric Rideal (1890–1974
Rideal studied electrochemistry, other research topics included nitrogen and catalysis. During the 1939-45 war he worked on worked on explosives, fuels and other war related work. He was Director of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory from 1946-1949.
Edward Neville da Costa Andrade (1887–1971)
After the death of WH Bragg in 1942, three Directors of the Davy Faraday Research Laboratory, Henry Hallett Dale, Eric Rideal and Edward Neville da Costa Andrade, arrived and left in quick succession, with the last one leaving in 1954
William Lawrence Bragg (1890–1971)
William Lawrence Bragg was the son of William Henry Bragg. He was Superintendent of the House and Director of the DFRL from 1954 to 1966
George Porter (1920–2002)
George Porter was appointed first Director of the Ri in 1966, a merging of the positions of Director of the DFRL and Superintendent of the House
Sir Richard Sykes
Sir Richard Sykes was appointed Chairman of Council to the Royal Institution in 2010.
Peter Day (Director 1991-98)
Peter Day appointed Director of the RI and DFRL and to the Fullerian Professorship in 1991 and served the Institution for seven years. Within the DFRL, he continued his work on molecular electronic and magnetic properties of materials, with extensive use of neutron scattering methods
John Meurig Thomas (1932 – 2020)
A prolific author and inspiring lecturer, John Meurig Thomas was Director of the Ri from 1986-1991. He also co-presented the Christmas Lectures on
Crystals and Lasers
in 1987, and delivered several Friday Evening Discourses.
See the full list of Directors and Presidents of the Ri here.
Learn more about the many Nobel Prizes won by scientists connected to the Ri.
1904 – Lord Rayleigh (John William Strutt) and William Ramsey win the Nobel Prize of Physics for the discovery of Argon, the first Nobel Prize won in the Ri
1906 – JJ Thomson, Professor of Natural Philosophy at the Ri, wins the Nobel Prize for Physics for studies of electrical connection through gases
1908 –
Ernest Rutherford
, Professor of Natural Philosophy at the Ri (1921–37), wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for work on the chemistry of radioactive substances and the disintegration of the elements.
1915 – Father and son William Henry Bragg (Fullerian Professor of Chemistry and director of the DFRL (1923–42) and William Lawrence Bragg (Resident Professor 1954–71), win the Nobel Prize of Physics for determining the molecular structure of crystals using x-rays
1932 –
Charles Scott Sherrington
(Fullerian Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy 1915-18) wins the Nobel Prize, along with Edgar Adrian, in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of the function of neurons
1936 –
Henry Hallett Dale
(Superintendent of the House, Director of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory and Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Ri, 1942–1946) wins Nobel Prize for Medicine jointly with
Otto Loewi
for their work on the chemical transmission of nerve impulses
1960 –
Peter Brian Medawar
(Professor of Experimental medicine 1977–1982) wins the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work on making permanent skin graphs
1962 –
John Cowdery Kendrew
and
Max Perutz
win the Nobel Prize of Chemistry for determining the structures of haemoglobin and myoglobin using x-ray crystallography computers. Kendrew and Perutz were both Readers in Crystallography at the Ri from 1954–1968
1964 –
Andrew Fielding Huxley
wins the Nobel Prize for Medicine for explaining how nerves use electricity to send signals around the body. Huxley was Fullerian Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy at the Ri from 1967–1973
1964 –
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin
wins Nobel Prize for Chemistry for determining the structure of important biochemical substances including vitamin B12 and penicillin using x-ray techniques
1967 – George Lord Porter (Director of the Ri and DFRL and Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Ri from 1966–1988) wins Nobel Prize for Chemistry for work on chemical reactions triggered by light, and for photographing the behaviour of molecules during fast reactions
1974 – Anthony Hewish (Professor of Astronomy at the Ri from 1976–1981) wins the Nobel Prize for Physics for his work on the discovery of pulsars
2012 – Sir John Gurdon wins Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine alongside Shinya Yamanaka for the discovery that mature cells can be converted to stem cells. Gurdon was the Ri's Fullerian Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy from 1985-1991
Explore the 10 Elements which have been discovered or isolated at by scientists at the Ri.
Potassium (1807)
Humphry Davy isolated potassium from caustic potash using electrolysis in 1807, making this the first of 10 chemical elements that were discovered or isolated at the Ri
Sodium (1807)
Davy isolated sodium from molten sodium hydroxide
Barium (1808)
Davy isolated barium by electrolysis of molten barium salts
Calcium (1808)
Davy isolated calcium by electrolysis of a mixture of lime and mercuric oxide
Magnesium (1808)
Davy using electrolysis of a mixture of magnesia and mercury oxide
Strontium (1808)
Davy isolated strontium from a mixture of strontium chloride and mercuric acid
Boron (1809)
Davy isolated boron in 1809, after first using electrolysis to produce a brown precipitate from a solution of borates in 1808
Chlorine (1810)
Chlorine was discovered in 1774, but it was believed to be a compound until Davy's experiments showed it was actually an element
Iodine (1811)
Iodine was discovered by the French chemist
Bernard Courtois
in 1811, but he lacked the resources to investigate the substance so gave samples of it to researchers. It was then named by
Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac
, who thought it to be either a compound of oxygen or an element. It was Davy who, a few days later, finally stated it was a new element, but this led to tensions around who identified it first
Argon (1894)
Argon was discovered at the Ri in 1894 by
Lord Rayleigh
and
William Ramsay
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