Welcome to the British Academy
Discover 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, our historic home.
We are delighted to welcome you to Open House 2025 and our public opening of our redeveloped building. Step inside one of London's finest examples of Georgian architecture, Carlton House Terrace is a Grade 1 listed structure originally designed by John Nash and built between 1827 and 1833. Today, the townhouse at No. 10-11 is home to the British Academy, the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences.
Tours
There are three options to choose from:
Self-guided tours
- Tour the building's history, architecture at your own pace
- Collect a map from the entrance
- Click on the links below (or scan the QR codes around the building) to find out more about each room and its artwork
Guided tours (sign-up on the day)
- Join guided tours led by British Academy staff throughout the day
- Visit the tour sign-up desk in the Lecture Room to book your place
Wright and Wright Architecture Tours (SOLD OUT)
- Explore the buildings architecture old and new with Stephen Smith, partner at the architecture firm Wright and Wright, who redesigned the lower-ground floor spaces.
About the British Academy
We are the UK's national academy for the humanities and social sciences. We mobilise these disciplines to understand the world and shape a brighter future.
Find out more
About Carlton House Terrace
Carlton House Terrace was designed by John Nash and constructed from 1827 to 1833 on the site of Carlton House, the former home of the Prince Regent, later George IV.
From 1831 until just after the First World War, No. 10 was the London home of the Ridley family, who were wealthy landowners in Northumberland. The British Academy moved into No. 10 in 1998.
Find out more
Our rooms
Download our map
Ground floor
- No. 10 Entrance / Lobby
- Fellows' Room (The Sir Victor Blank Room / The Weston Room)
- The Lee Library / The Reading Room
- The No.11 Lobby
First floor
Lower ground floor
Completed in Summer 2024, we have added three brand new event spaces to our Lower Ground floor designed by Wright and Wright architects.
Living with the Planet Digital Exhibitions
As part of our upcoming Living with the Planet events season, join us to for two powerful digital exhibitions that explore that explore the importance of local actionability and public engagement in the fight against climate change.
These exhibitions are free to the public and no registration is required.
Storytelling for Environmental Change: Tackling Air Pollution in the World’s Most Polluted City
Dr Pawas Bisht, Keele University
British Academy Humanities and Social Sciences' Tackling Global Challenges Programme
What happens when local voices take the lead in the fight for clean air?This compelling exhibition features three short documentaries that spotlight how everyday people in New Delhi, the world’s most polluted city, are using storytelling as a tool for environmental change.
Filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project explores both the obstacles and opportunities the crisis created for grassroots activism. It’s a raw, honest, and hopeful look at how community-led narratives can inspire real action against one of the most urgent public health threats of our time.
SeaSights: Young People and the Sea
Dr Celine Germond-Duret, Lancaster University
Leverhulme/British Academy Small Research Grant
Who gets to shape the future of our coastal communities? And what does a more inclusive ‘blue economy’ look like? SeaSights invites you to experience the world through the eyes of young people living along England’s Northwest coast, areas which are often overlooked in political and economic decision-making.
Through creative photography workshops, this exhibition highlights how the ocean and seaside life connect to larger questions of social justice, environmental sustainability, and intergenerational equity.
This digital exhibitions are available in the SHAPE Room and Lecture Room.
Free to attend
Last entry at 3:45pm, doors close strictly at 4pm.