Royal Academy of Arts Opening Times and Entrance: What to Know Before You Go

Updated

The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is closed on Mondays. From Tuesday to Thursday and on Sunday it opens 10am–6pm, and on Friday and Saturday it stays open 10am–9pm. The main entrance is at Burlington House on Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. These details come from the RA's own visit information, so check the Plan your visit page before travelling in case of seasonal changes.

Opening hours at a glance

Day Hours
Monday Closed
Tuesday–Thursday 10am–6pm
Friday–Saturday 10am–9pm
Sunday 10am–6pm

The Friday and Saturday late hours are the most useful slot if you want to combine an exhibition with an evening in central London. Because Monday is a full closure, a Monday-only trip to London will not include the RA.

Where the entrance is

The RA sits in Burlington House, just off Piccadilly in Mayfair. The address to give a taxi driver or to search on a map is:

Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

Piccadilly Circus and Green Park are the nearest Underground stations, both a short walk away. The entrance is the courtyard gateway off Piccadilly rather than a door directly on the street, so look for the Burlington House arch.

Planning around what's on

Opening hours tell you when the building is accessible, but individual exhibitions and displays can have their own arrangements. The RA's listings show a mix of free displays and ticketed exhibitions running across different date ranges, plus talks, courses and evening events. Before you go:

  • Check the What's on section for the dates of the exhibition you want to see.
  • Book ahead for major ticketed shows, since entry is by timed slot.
  • Confirm whether a talk or event falls outside standard opening hours.

Practical points for your visit

  • Allow time for security and bag checks at the entrance during busy periods.
  • Free displays are listed alongside paid exhibitions, so a visit does not have to cost anything.
  • Families, shopping and eating and drinking are covered in the RA's own visitor pages if you want to build a longer trip around the galleries.
  • Membership gives repeated entry to exhibitions and guest access, which is worth comparing against single tickets if you plan more than one visit.

For the definitive version of hours, entrance details and any closures, use the RA's Plan your visit page as your source of truth on the day.