Royal Festival Hall Tour – FULLY BOOKED
Royal Festival Hall Tour
Monday 8 June 2026
Start time/place: 6pm/Festival Pier, London, SE1 8XZ
Finish time: 7:30pm
The Royal Festival Hall of 1951 was the centrepiece of the Festival of Britain and was the first modernist building to be Grade 1 listed. Eleanor Jolliffe and Sandy Rattray will guide you outside and inside the building, discussing the history, politics, important design influences and design features of the building.
We will have access to the building on a day when it is closed to the public, and will explore the facades, discuss the changes that took place in 1964 and 2007 and then proceed to the foyers, auditorium and non-public backstage areas. Eleanor Jolliffe is the architect who has worked on the building at Allies and Morrison and Sandy Rattray is a governor of the Southbank Centre and architectural historian. They are co-authors of ‘Royal Festival Hall: A Living Icon’ (Merrell, 2026).
Members only event with limited capacity.
C20 Members: £25
Young C20*: £15
*For Young C20 members, please email lukas@c20society.org.uk to secure a place.
Click here for our cancellation policy.
Not a member yet? Join here and benefit from event ticket discounts. Looking to support our campaigning? Donate to our casework here.
The Twentieth Century Society is an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building conservation) recognised CPD provider and is a registered charity, no 1110244.
Above: The stage and auditorium seem from the organ loft. Photography by Edmund Sumner from ‘Royal Festival Hall: A Living Icon’ (Merrell, 2026).