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Burlington House

Burlington House is a building on Piccadilly in Mayfair, London. It was originally a private English Baroque and then Neo-Palladian mansion owned by the Earls of Burlington. It was significantly expanded in the mid-19th century after being purchased by the British government. Today, the Royal Academy and five learned societies occupy much of the building.

For the New York City skyscraper formerly known as Burlington House, see 1345 Avenue of the Americas.

Burlington House

(Piccadilly/east wing)

Geological Society of London

(Piccadilly/west wing)

Linnean Society of London

(west wing)

Royal Astronomical Society

(west wing)

Society of Antiquaries of London

(east wing)

Royal Society of Chemistry

Burlington House is most familiar to the general public as the venue for art exhibitions from the Royal Academy. The academy is housed in the main building at the northern end of the courtyard. Five learned societies occupy the two wings on the east and west sides of the courtyard and the Piccadilly wing at the southern end. Collectively known as the Courtyard Societies, these societies are as listed below:


Burlington House has been listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England since February 1970.[15]

Public access[edit]

The courtyard of Burlington House, known as the "Annenberg Courtyard",[16] is open to the public during the day. It features a statue of Joshua Reynolds and fountains arranged in the pattern of the planets at the time of his birth.[16]


The Royal Academy's public art exhibitions are staged in nineteenth-century additions to the main block which are of little architectural interest. However, in 2004 the principal reception rooms on the piano nobile were opened to the public after restoration as the "John Madejski Fine Rooms". They contain many of the principal works in the academy's permanent collection, which predominantly features works by Royal Academicians and small temporary exhibitions drawn from the collection. The east, west and Piccadilly wings are occupied by the learned societies and are generally not open to the public unless for attending public lectures or academic exhibitions by appointment.

Burlington Estate

6 Burlington Gardens

David Pearce, London's Mansions (1986).  0-7134-8702-X.

ISBN

– The Burlington House lectures represent a joint interdisciplinary initiative organised in conjunction with the Royal Academy and the five learned societies that occupy this historic building.

Burlington House – arts and sciences in the heart of London

– very detailed coverage of Burlington House from the government sponsored survey of London (1963).

Survey of London

Article 'The Burlington Five' published in The Times, 18 January 2004