Royal Academy of Arts レビュー 10

What a Pity that as a budding artist you are not given a fair chance to exhibit your work surely the people who buy the art should decide which paintings they would or would not like to buy? Talent in so many paintings is lacking and really talented artists are being turned away and feels like its just a money making scheme. struggling artist are requested to pay whether their art is chosen or not! Disgraceful

Whilst the venerable institution that is the Royal Academy of Arts is clearly incredibly distinguished, it's Art exhibitions are a massive disappointment!

My £50 odd for 3 visitors to see the Keifer/Van Gogh exhibition feels like I've been artfully robbed. 3 rooms of no more than 30 pieces was not enough to warrant that level of payment, and certainly was getting very little interest at the donation point by the exit.

Perhaps as a Royal Institution, try being a little more Queen Elizabeth II, graceful and inclusive, and less Andrew Windsor, grubby and tainted.

I would recommend going to the National Portrait Gallery instead, better value for money by far 👍

From time to time the RA excels with its exhibitions. There are structural problems which seem endemic, however. The shop is overpriced and glaringly understocked in items worth buying. The café's service is eyewateringly slow: staff there could benefit from a couple of weeks in a Costa franchise and from paying more attention to their Engllsh language lessons!

Magnificent building. I don’t consider myself to be an idiot, but I couldn’t find anything to see! Walking up the main stairs took me to the shop. Obscure signs led to vacant coridors and staircases. Left with the impression this place was for those ‘in the know’. Probably a great place to work or be a member of and must make those associated with it feel very grand. For a first time visitor it’s far from welcoming.

I’ve been going to the RA for the last few years, mainly to see the Summer Exhibition. Every time I have left feeling inspired by the incredible exhibitions of carefully curated artwork.

Tickets have always been reasonably priced and as the RA is a charity it is possible to GiftAid the cost of the tickets since it counts as a donation. I’ve invariably spent more on the train journey to get to the exhibition than the cost of tickets, food and drink when I’ve got there!

Getting to the RA is a piece of cake if you’re not a local, since it’s not far from London Euston nor London Victoria and is only a few tube stops away. There is also plenty to do in the area before or after your stop, and visiting Fortnum and Mason is one of my favourite things to do afterwards since it’s more or less across the street.

The staff have always been welcoming and helpful towards me and my companions. Happy to point you in the right direction or answer any queries you may have, there is always someone around who you can talk to.

The café is very spacious and serves a fairly wide selection of food and drink at reasonable prices, but drinks and other light refreshments are available from a stand outside. If you’re feeling like a little tipple, they actually serve alcohol from within the gallery - which is very enjoyable while you peruse the wonderful artwork.

Today, I had to request to exchange my tickets for tickets at another date due to a sudden change of plans. I didn’t expect a reply on a Sunday but they replied very quickly and were happy to oblige. They exchanged my ticket without question to a time slot that better suited us, and were even so kind as to waive the usual administration fee of £1 per ticket because we were exchanging the tickets for others on the same day.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with the wonderful service the RA has provided me and my loved ones year after year and we will return every year going forward.

Thanks so much for the amazing work you do - and for supporting such a diverse range of talented and breathtaking artists!

They are taking ages to refund my money for an artwork I bought at the Summer exhibition. Liaising with the artist to waive the fee (seemed easy enough) but the internal red tape, no one picking up phones and unanswered emails leaves a lot to be desired. It's been 3 months and still no refund despite me following up. Don't buy unless 100% you won't return.

I had the misfortune to be taken to tea in the Members' Room on 19th August - what an appalling experience! I could only draw comparisons with the Members' Room at the V&A which is vastly superior.

We waited for ages for anyone to take our order (at the V&A this is done immediately). When it came, our tea (without any indication of which tea was which) was served in cardboard beakers with milk also in cardboard cups (at the V&A tea is served in a teapot with china cups); a slice of carrot cake was served in a cardboard tray wrapped in an almost impenetrable film of plastic (a cookie likewise) with disposable cutlery (at the V&A food is presented on china with real cutlery). One might have been travelling on a budget airline.

The overall impression of the Royal Academy is that they simply are not interested: even Members are treated as a nuisance and with disdain.

Avoid this outfit like the plague!

Disgusted to hear that the Royal Academy "cancelled" the artist Jess de Wahls. They should concentrate on art, and not the social media frenzy concerning gender politics.

Great exhibitions included with membership.
Also delighted hidden bar downstairs, a haven of peace in Central London.