The Royal Astronomical Society is delighted to welcome visitors to Burlington House as part of this year's Open House Festival.
Free self-guided tours of the Society's HQ will take place on Saturday 19 September 2026, from 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm. Last entry for the morning session will be 12.30pm and 4.30pm for the afternoon tours. Booking is not required.
See the architectural features of the building and learn about the history of astronomy and the Society, while also browsing a special display of books, manuscripts and artefacts in the double-height, galleried RAS library.
There will be a short film in the Lecture Theatre and in the Council Room actors will bring to life one of the Royal Astronomical Society's Founder Fellows, John Herschel, and his pioneering aunt Caroline.
The RAS was founded in 1820 and moved into Burlington House in 1874. Since its inception it has been promoting the understanding of astronomy and geophysics by organising meetings, publishing research, and maintaining a specialist library and archive, among other activities.
The Society originally occupied rooms in Lincoln's Inn, and later, Somerset House. The Society's apartments in Burlington House were specially built by the government for the learned societies when they were required to vacate Somerset House.
The RAS now shares the courtyard of Burlington House with the premises of five other learned societies: the Linnean Society of London, the Society of Antiquaries, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Geological Society of London, together with the Royal Academy of Arts.
You can find out more about the Open House Festival here.
Other learned societies based at Burlington House are also participating in the event. For more information, visit: