Royal Albert Hall

Why go

Mislabellings A famous and widely bootlegged concert by Bob Dylan at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester on 17 May 1966 was mistakenly labelled the "Royal Albert Hall Concert". The exhibition was a great success and led Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, to propose the creation of a permanent series of facilities for the enlightenment of the public in the area, which came to be known as Albertopolis.

What to look for

• An album by CCR titled The Royal Albert Hall Concert was released in 1980.
• In 1968, the Hall hosted as the venue for the Eurovision Song Contest.
• The great glass and wrought-iron dome roofing the Hall is 41 m (135 ft) high.

The full story

The Hall is a registered charity held in trust for the nation and receives no public or government funding. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres have appeared on its stage and it has become one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings. The location of some of the most notable events in British culture, each year it hosts more than 390 shows in the main auditorium, including classical, rock and pop concerts, ballet, opera, film screenings with live orchestra, sports, award ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and banquets. A further 400 events are held each year in the non-auditorium spaces. The Hall was originally supposed to have been called the Central Hall of Arts and Sciences, but the name was changed to the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences by Queen Victoria upon laying the Hall's foundation stone in 1867, in memory of her husband consort, Prince Albert who had died six years earlier.

Useful to know

• Confirm current admission and opening times before leaving.

Your next visit

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