Alexandra Palace

Why go

Only the outer walls survived; a loan exhibition of a collection of English pottery and porcelain, comprising some 4,700 items of historic and intrinsic value, was also destroyed. The first of these to be implemented aims to transform the derelict eastern end of the Palace, making accessible the Victorian Theatre and historic BBC Studios.

What to look for

• Only 16 days later, Alexandra Palace was destroyed by a fire which also killed three members of staff.
• An ice rink was installed at Alexandra Palace in 1990.
• The rock band Led Zeppelin played at Alexandra Palace in December 1972.

The full story

Intended as "The People's Palace" and later nicknamed "Ally Pally" , in 1936 it became the home of the world's first regular public "high-definition" television service, operated by the BBC. Although other facilities soon superseded it after the war, Alexandra Palace continued to be used by the BBC for many years and its radio and television mast is still in use. The original studios 'A' and 'B' still survive in the south-east wing with their producers' galleries and are used for exhibiting original historical television equipment. The original Victorian theatre with its stage machinery also survives. The theatre and stage structure is on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk register. A planned commercial development of the building into a mixed leisure complex including a hotel, replacement ice-skating rink, cinema, ten-pin bowling alley and exhibition centre, encountered opposition from public groups and was blocked by the High Court in 2007.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.