Built in 1871, thanks in part to the proceeds of the 1851 Great Exhibition organized by Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband), this huge, domed, red-brick amphitheater, adorned with a frieze of Minton tiles, is Britain’s most famous concert venue and home to the BBC’s Promenade Concerts (the Proms) every summer. To find out about the hall's intriguing history and royal connections, and to gaze out from the Gallery, book an informative one-hour Royal Albert Hall tour, operating most days.
The hall was never intended to be a concert venue but instead a "Hall of Arts and Sciences," so it spent the first 133 years of its existence tormenting everyone with shocking acoustics. The 85 huge mushroom-like fibreglass acoustic reflectors first dangled from the ceiling in 1969, and a further massive refurbishment was completed in 2004. Aside from the one-hour grand tour, there's a rather infrequent behind-the-scenes tour taking place 20 times a year that gives you access to areas not normally available to the public. Check online for dates.
