On 19th March 2013, Sir Richard Sykes, Chairman of the Royal Institution (Ri) announced that the Ri has received a donation of £4.4 million. The announcement was made at a special general meeting for the Institution’s members. The donation was made by a foundation which will remain anonymous at this stage.
The Royal Institution of Great Britain, by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd, circa 1838
In January, the Ri said it was considering selling 21 Albemarle Street London home in order to ease it’s financial troubles. This £4.4 million gift will help give the RI some time in order to sort out their finances.
This donation is very timely and will clear the Ri’s bank debt, as well as giving us the breathing room to explore other options more fully. However, our financial issues are far from being resolved.
Sir Richard Sykes
About the Ri
The Royal Institution (Ri) is an independent charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. They are most famous for the Christmas Lectures which were started by Michael Faraday in 1825. The Christmas Lectures have been broadcast on television since 1966 and in 2011 the combined broadcast reached over 4 million viewers.
Lithograph of Michael Faraday delivering a Christmas lecture at the Royal Institution, by Alexander Blaikley circa 1856