Historical background of Exhibition Road

In 1851, following the extraordinary success of the Great Exhibition, the profits from the exhibition were used to purchase 100 acres of land in South Kensington. Prince Albert’s vision, realised with characteristic intellectual ambition, inventiveness and energy, was to create a permanent national centre for public education.

Within a few decades, with the support of the 1851 Commission, the site became home to an extraordinary cluster of world class institutions. Today South Kensington is one of the largest and most important centres of public education in the arts and sciences in the world. Located in the area are:

• Three national museums: the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum
• Three post-graduate universities: Imperial College, the Royal College of Art and the Royal College of Music
• Cultural institutions including: the English National Ballet, the Royal Albert Hall and the Serpentine Gallery
• The Goethe-Institut, the the Insitut Français du Royaume-Uni and the Ismaili Centre
• The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
• The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)
• The Royal Parks Agency

Each today is a world leader in its field. Together they attract over nine million visitors a year, making the area one of the most important cultural destinations in London. They represent the full spectrum of human creativity across the arts and sciences. Equally important, these institutions embody the nation's commitment to public access to excellence in culture and education – something the Victorians knew is essential for a healthy society.

For more information

• For further details on the project, go back to the page Exhibition Road.