Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts (RA) is a royal artistic institution operating since 1768. Its goal is to promote art through exhibitions and education. The institution has the oldest library dedicated to applied arts in Great Britain. The collected art collection has approximately 32,000 exhibits, including paintings, sculptures and historical photographs.

From 1867, the Academy is housed in Burlington House at Piccadilly Street. It is a richly decorated residence from the 17th century. In 2001, the institution also acquired Burlington Gardens, and work is currently underway to combine the two properties.

The oldest art schools in the UK, Royal Academy Schools, operate on behalf of RA. The first was founded in 1769 and had 77 students. To this day, they are one of the most prestigious universities. Among the graduates were, among others William Blake and John Soane.