Museum & Library

Visit the Royal Academy of Music Museum to explore unique instruments, manuscripts and art, and discover behind-the-scenes stories from the United Kingdom’s oldest conservatoire.

Please note that the Museum will be closing at 5pm on Friday 29^th November, with last entry at 4.30pm, and shall remain closed for the month of December. We will re-open on Thursday 2 January 2020. Please check Chimes’ website for December opening times.

In permanent galleries and temporary displays, visitors will see star items such as the ‘Viotti ex-Bruce’ 1709 violin by Antonio Stradivari once played to Queen Marie Antoinette, Gilbert and Sullivan’s original score for ‘The Mikado’, and a Viennese piano from 1815 with six pedals. You can learn about the role the Academy and its alumni have played in musical development for nearly 200 years, and perhaps hear a live gallery demonstration of a clavichord or a 19th century piano.

Our friendly Gallery Assistants are Academy students who will tell you more about the displays and talk about their studies at the Academy. The Museum regularly holds free public musical and lecture events, museum tours, and offers children’s trails with quizzes and puzzles.

The Piano Gallery is often closed on Thursdays and Fridays due to student classes taking place. Please contact the Museum for more specific information if you are planning a visit. 

Lunchtime Tours

On the first Wednesday of every month (except December and July) Museum staff give a general drop-in tour of the whole Museum. This offers an insight into our varied and historical musical collection.

Your visit

How to find us, travel options, disabled access, our facilities and more.

What a Song and Dance: Celebrating Musical Theatre

5 July 2019 - 22 February 2020

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Academy’s Musical Theatre Programme, our new temporary exhibition deconstructs and explores the history of the genre and looks to the future of this popular art form.

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Explore the collection

Browse or search our our wide-ranging collections of instruments, manuscripts, letters, performance materials, artworks, teaching materials, memorabilia and more.

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The core of our Museum

Our permanent exhibitions showcase some of the Academy’s collections: History of the Academy on the ground floor; Strings Gallery on the first floor; and Piano Gallery on the second floor.

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Sir Henry Wood at 150

The Lionel Tertis Memorial case (opposite the canteen in the basement of the main building) houses changing displays of items from the Academy collections or loaned items.

On display at the moment is a collection of batons that belonged to Sir Henry Wood. The display also includes a newly acquired portrait of Sir Henry, conducting the Queen’s Hall orchestra.

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