What are Discourses?
Discourses are the Ri’s most prestigious lecture programme, founded by Michael Faraday in 1825, and they focus on leading-edge advancements in science and society. Discourses were developed so that new scientific discoveries or developments could be announced and demonstrated to a dedicated audience. Today the public can attend our Discourses in our world-renowned Theatre, but they can also watch them online via our livestream – opening the experience to audiences beyond London and the UK.
Painting of James Dewar giving a Friday Evening Discourse in 1904
Watch some of our most recent Discourses
You can watch some of the latest Discourses from the Ri below. You can also watch a playlist of all our filmed Discourses on our YouTube channel.