Royal Academy of Arts
Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. It has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects; its purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate.
Come and explore the RA’s world-class exhibitions with your school. You have the choice of booking: a free interactive guided tour, a self-guided visit, an early-morning teachers' private view, or a hands-on creative workshop.
Free Interactive Guided Tours
Available for groups of ten or more full time students, led by our team of gallery educators who engage students through observation and discussion.
Guided tours are free for all full-time student groups of 10 or more, and run at set times during the week – click or swipe through to the right to learn more.
Self-guided Visits
Available for groups of ten or more full time students and a great opportunity to explore an exhibition at your own pace.
Self-guided visits for groups of 10 or more full-time students are free for primary and secondary school students.
Audio guides are a good option for self-guided visits, at a cost of £1 per person for student groups. These are easy to use with clear commentaries written by experts.
Early Morning Private Views
Held on Monday mornings at 9am, this is a rare opportunity for your students to visit our exhibitions without the crowds. Great for sketching and talking to your students without disturbance, these can be self-guided or led by a gallery educator.
Free Primary Workshops
An introductory slide discussion on the exhibition, followed by a visit to the galleries in small groups, each led by a gallery educator. Students then take part in a creative hands-on session tailored to suit the exhibition. All primary workshops run from 10.15am to 1pm.
Free Secondary Workshops
An interactive slide discussion, exploring key themes of the exhibition, followed by a visit to the galleries and a lunch break. The students then return for an in-depth practical session, where they can create and discuss their own artworks. All secondary workshops run from 10.15am to 2.30pm.
SEN Multi-sensory Workshops
We welcome SEN schools for workshops during our programme of Special Schools Weeks, which run three times a year. These workshops are tailored to the needs of each group and include multi-sensory exhibition tours, followed by handling and creative sessions.
Specially trained RA Access volunteers support these workshops, which take place between 10.30am and 2pm.
Royal Academy Schools Show
12-28 June 2015
The RA Schools Show is the annual exhibition of works by final year students at the historic Royal Academy Schools, the first art school in Britain.
Held in the historic studio spaces of the Schools, the exhibition invites students to show works developed over a three-year period of postgraduate study, providing visitors with a rare opportunity to view and buy exceptional pieces from an aspiring generation of artists.