The spectacular Main Hall at the Royal Geographical Society is original to Lowther Lodge, built for William Lowther and his family in 1874 and designed by the famous architect Norman Shaw.
The Hall was used by the Lowther family as a reception area and occasionally a ballroom, with musicians playing in the gallery above. The oak staircase, rising past the minstrels’ gallery, led up to the family bedrooms. Many original features of the room still survive today including the ceramic fireplace tiles hand-painted by Alice Lowther and her daughter with fanciful family coats of arms, as well as William and Alice Lowther’s initials surmounted by a sunflower above the Kensington Gore entrance.
When Lowther Lodge was sold and handed over to the Society in 1912, the Main Hall need little change and was the perfect space to house exhibitions. Today, distinguished remembered Society medal winners can be found on the medal boards as you enter the Hall through Kensington Gore.
The Main Hall is an atmospheric space, still with its original wood floors and large windows overlooking Hyde Park making it the ideal spot for wedding ceremonies, plus evening receptions, seated dinners and any other celebration.
When used alongside our Ondaatje Theatre or Education Centre for conferences, it’s the perfect space to grab a refreshment & network with fellow delegates, or to accommodate exhibition stands.
We are currently taking wedding and other event enquiries so please do contact us on 0207 591 3090 or venuehire@rgs.org for further information.