Royal Albert Hall tour
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Royal Albert Hall - by Drago Gazdik from Pixabay
Description
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall with a design reminiscent of a Roman amphitheatre. It has seating capacity for over 5,000 people and was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 (the wrought iron dome was made in Manchester and carried by horse and cart). It is a very iconic building in the UK and is held in trust for the nation. It has hosted countless concerts (philharmonic as well as rock, etc.), ballets, operas and shows. It is also well known as the venue for the BBC Proms every summer. The guided tours start every 30mins from 11h00 to 16h00 and last 1h - they cover the history and architecture of the building and take visitors from the upper balcony all the way to the stage.
Access & Transport
Tours start from Door 12 at the south entrance to the Hall. The building is located on the south-western side of Hyde Park, about 1km away from South Kensington underground station and 1.2km from Gloucester Rd station. There are some bus stops along Kensington rd/Kensington Gore, next to the Hall. The entrances are at ground level with several doors having ramps for wheelchair users.
Instructions & Recommendations
We would recommend combining this tour with one of the South Kensington museums or a walk in Hyde Park with possibly a visit of Kensington Palace.
Environmental & Social
The R.A.H. is making wide ranging efforts to improve their energy efficiency, from office /admin aspect to more substantial lighting and air filter investments, etc. Importantly they look at ESG aspects when selecting their suppliers which rates them high on the Social / Supply chain aspect. More information can be found at the following link: https://www.royalalberthall.com/about-the-hall/our-history/explore-our-history/building/sustainability-at-the-hall/
Conclusion
The Royal Albert Hall has a very distinctive Roman design and if you do not happen to catch a show there, we would strongly suggest anybody interested in music and the arts in general to consider attending the guided tour, especially if you plan on being in the neighbourhood. It is always fascinating to understand more about a building design, layout and day-to-day operations.
Key positive
Nice surroundings and quite central
Good quality guides so the price feels fair
Key negative
Probably not very interesting for kids under 12
Suitability
Suitable for all ages although younger children may not find the tour interesting. There are some stairs involved but there are alternative routes so the tour is suitable for visitors with mobility issues / wheelchair users.
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 25m
est. visit time:1h 15m
Monday10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday10:00 - 17:00
Thursday10:00 - 17:00
Friday10:00 - 17:00
Saturday10:00 - 17:00
Sunday10:00 - 17:00