Bookings may be made in person or by telephoning 020 7589 8212. Mastercard, American Express, Switch and Visa are welcomed.

On postal and telephone orders an administration charge of £2.75 per booking is made (irrespective of the number of tickets purchased).

for more information visit the Royal Albert Hall website

History of Royal Albert Hall
Hire the Hall - (for that special birthday party, Barmitzvah ... solo concert?)

As a first step towards the realisation of the Prince's masterplan, a 50 acre estate in South Kensington was bought from the substantial profits made by the Exhibition. By the end of the 19th century the area had been transformed and today embraces not only the Hall but the Victoria and Albert, Science and Natural History Museums, Imperial College, the Royal Colleges of Music and Art and the Royal Geographical Society: a living monument to the vision and inspiration of the Prince and his contemporaries. Prince Albert died suddenly in 1861 before much of the site was occupied. But by that time the overall concept had firmly taken root.

Plans for a 'Great Central Hall' were taken forward by the very eminent Victorian, Henry Cole, with whom the Prince had worked on other major public building projects. Under the terms of a Royal Charter of 1867, a 'Corporation' was established to 'build and maintain' the 'Hall of Arts and Sciences' (to which Royal Albert was soon added). Construction began that year and was completed in 1871, when the Hall was formally opened in the presence of HM Queen Victoria, the late Prince's devoted widow.

The magnificent frieze that encircles the building succinctly describes its purpose: 'This Hall was erected for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences, and works of industry of all nations, in fulfillment of the intentions of Albert, Prince Consort'.

Those objectives reflect the terms of the Royal Charter under which the Hall was founded, and (together with a number of Acts of Parliament) continue to be regulated. As well as providing, on a 999 year lease at nominal cost, the land on which the Hall stands, the Royal Commission for the 1851 Exhibition - which continues as the Hall's 'landlord' - also made a substantial donation towards the overall cost of its construction, forecast at £200,000. The remainder of the initial funding was made up by the sale of some 1,300 of the original 7,000 seats in the Auditorium, at a charge of £100 per seat. These 'permanent' seats remain largely in private or corporate hands, the seatholders being the Members of the Corporation of the Hall.