The Royal Institution is an organisation that has been around for 209 years (since 1799!). Many of the people that have worked here have been scientists themselves, including Michael Faraday. He made discoveries that made generating and using electricity much easier, making it possible for us all to switch on lights, cook our dinner, play on games consoles and much much more.
The main thing that the Royal Institution does is to tell people about science, and try to get them as excited about scientific discoveries as we are. We think that science is really important, and that everyone should know a little bit about it. Part of the way we do this is to run events that anyone can come to about lots of different scientific topics. A good introduction to science is coming to one of our family fun days where you can have the chance to get your hands on some experiments. If you're serious about your science, some of the events in our public programme might interest you. Check out our events calendar to see what we've got coming up. Our events have been so popular that traffic jams were caused in the building outside, and drivers were all asked to face the same way, so our road, Albemarle Street, became the first one-way street in London!
Our building in Mayfair has just reopened after major refurbishment. We have an exciting exhibition about the important part that the RI has played in shaping the modern world. With displays over the three themed public floors visitors are able to find out about important people in the RI's history, the amazing discoveries that have been made in the laboratories here and the fantastic events that have taken place in the theatre. Adding an exciting dimension to the museum displays, we also have an eGuide to give you a glimpse into more of the stories of the collection. To round off a visit to the RI come and have a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake in our new cafe.
You can also have a look around our website at the games and puzzles that we've got about science. You might want to fire a rocket to find out more about forces, or steer Biodiversity Bob around his different habitats. Our games and puzzles cover [energy], biodiversity, elements, DNA, anatomy and space. You can also find out more about our Christmas Lectures and have a look at our websites that tell you The truth about food and explain The number mysteries. If you really like science, you may want to find out more about becoming a Faraday member of the Royal Institution.