Looking for gift inspiration?
Surprise your family and dear friends with a unique and thoughtful gesture. You can name a seat in our beautiful Theatre and relish your treasured gift for years to come.
Each Theatre seat tells a wonderful story. Whether you're honouring a loved one, reflecting on a special occasion or rejoicing your passion for science. Your historic seat will have your very own plaque that is engraved with a heartfelt dedication of your choice.
As a charity, we rely on the incredible kindness and generosity of people like you to fund our much-loved CHRISTMAS LECTURES, protect our precious Museum's collection and deliver our mind-expanding science shows in schools. By naming a seat, you will help us to connect as many people as possible with science.
Give a gift to inspire joy and love
200 years ago, Michael Faraday revealed the world’s first electric motor in our iconic Theatre. From computers to smartphones and electric cars, his groundbreaking scientific invention has helped transform our everyday lives.
Today, you can be part of our stunning theatre and remarkable heritage. By naming a theatre seat, you can write your name in history. You can celebrate your love for the Royal Institution and help ensure we're ready to inspire future generations for another 200 years.
How to name your Theatre seat
- Simply look at our Theatre seating plan.
- Select a donation of your choice and hand-pick your seat.
- Complete our enquiry form or return our donation form by email or post.
- We'll then get in touch with you to confirm your personal dedication.
Theatre seating plan
Your seat and gift options
£5,000 donation – row B for 5 years
£3,000 donation – row C for 5 years
£2,000 donation – row D for 5 years
£1,500 donation – row E for 5 years
£1,000 donation – row F for 5 years
£750 donation – row G for 5 years
£500 donation – row H for 5 years (only 6 left)
£300 donation – row J for 5 years (only 2 left)
Terms and conditions
- Your donation is acknowledged with a seat that is named for a period of 5 years, after which the Royal Institution reserves the right to make the seat available to re-name. We will endeavour to contact you before this expiry date to give you an opportunity to name it again
- The dedication must be the name of an individual(s) or 'In Memory of'. Please provide the chosen names up to a maximum of 50 characters over two lines (25 characters per line), including spaces
- Your chosen dedication will be engraved on a plaque, and it will be attached to a seat in the row selected
- The supporter named on the seat does not own the seat at any point. The seat will remain the property of the Royal Institution
- Naming a seat does not include admission to talks, lectures or events or guarantee allocation of that seat
- Seats cannot be reserved
- Please note that seats are subject to availability and on a first-come, first-served basis
- You cannot change the name you have chosen to be engraved after confirmation with the Development team, or after the name has been engraved on the plaque
- You will receive an email confirmation of your donation once we have received your donation
- You will also receive in the post a naming acknowledgement certificate with a photograph of the named plaque
- You may choose to name a seat as a gift for a friend or loved one. Certificates can be sent to the recipient or to the donor
- If seats at specific donation levels are no longer available, the Ri might consider releasing further seats to continue raising much-needed income for its charitable work
Get in touch
We love hearing the wonderful stories that inspire the naming of our Theatre seats. Whether you’ve chosen your seat or would like more information, we’re always happy to help.
Please call the development team on 020 7670 2950 or email development@ri.ac.uk