Nearly 100 years on RIBA at 66 Portland Place maintains these practices at the heart of its purpose. 66 Portland Place was built as a semi-public building and a place for the public to visit for talks, to meet and to socialise, which it still does to this day as the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects and a popular setting for corporate and private events.
Image credit - Matt Chung Photography
The venue is also home to RIBA’s architecture galleries, the RIBA Library and the RIBA bookshop.
The exhibitions programme at 66 Portland Place looks closely into architectural movements, styles and ideas throughout history. There are two exhibition spaces – the purpose-built Architecture Gallery showcasing items from RIBA’s world-class collections and the Practice Space, which draws on relationships with architects. New exhibitions run regularly throughout the year and can be accessed as part of commercial hire.
Image credit - Matt Chung Photography
On the third floor of the building, the RIBA Library offers access to books, periodicals and photographs from the RIBA Collections. The collections range from 15th century illustrated texts to the latest architectural journals and photographs from around the world.
66 Portland Place is also home to the RIBA Cafe, a tranquil space for a coffee and a bite to eat, and also a relaxed setting for informal evening receptions and as a VIP area for larger events. Situated on the ground floor looking out towards the tree-lined Portland Place, the cafe is a bright, modern space featuring vintage details and neutral walls with prints from the RIBA Collections decorating the space.
