Location

Royal College of Music Blomfield Building in South Kesington
The Royal College of Music sits in the heart of South Kensington, which is widely considered one of London’s most attractive and desirable places to live and work. Often referred to as the home of science, arts and inspiration, our vibrant surroundings are the envy of the world.

Conceived in the 1850s by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, South Kensington was planned as a major cultural centre. Bringing together institutions of learning, artistic excellence, scientific endevour and cultural celebration, 'Albertopolis' was for everyone. Today the area attracts tens of millions of visitors every year from across the globe. 

For 140 years, the RCM has stood proudly opposite the iconic Royal Albert Hall and backed on to some of the finest centres of scientific excellence, now combined to form Imperial College London. The RCM's unique position has fostered remarkable partnerships and is testament to Prince Albert's original vision. As South Kensington has continued to grow it has remained a shining example of the arts and sciences working shoulder-to-shoulder for the common good.

People walking outside the science musuem, an old white building, near a Tube entrance.

Exhibition Road is home to South Kensington's world-class museums

The back entrance of the Royal Albert Hall, with a statue in front of a series of stairs, surrounded by green trees and bushes.

The Royal Albert Hall, directly opposite the RCM

A group of male brass players, performing in a sixtet, in an event at the Science Museum's Maths gallery.

RCM students opening the Science Museum's Maths Gallery © Jody Kingzett

Two people jogging into the light in Hyde park, a green park with lots of trees and grass.

Hyde Park, one of London's largest and most popular green spaces

A large entrance hall

The spectacular entrance hall of the Natural History Museum

A close up of the Imperial College London name on the side of a modern building, with a modern glass building behind it.

Imperial College is a world-renowned centre for scientific research and a close partner of the RCM's

Two students performing the saxophone and the piano in a circular wooden room with light filling into the room, with the audience to the right, watching the students performing.

RCM students performing at the V&A

People eating at multiple tables at a restaurant at South Kensington.

There are lots of places to eat and drink in South Kensington, plus local amenities like banks and a post office

A close up of a Tube sign, stating South Kensington, with a tube symbol, with someone sitting at a seat, and a tube train behind them.

South Kensington is well connected to the rest of London by excellent transport links

The Albert Memorial, a gold plated statue of Prince Albert, facing the Royal Albert Hall, with Hyde park trees in the background.

The Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens, and the Royal Albert Hall behind, both celebrate Prince Albert's vision

Our local museums have played a huge role in South Kensington's success and are now internationally renowned tourist attractions. The Science Museum, Natural History Museum and V&A are home to breathtaking historic collections, dynamic exhibits and impressive learning programmes. Other local institutions include the Royal College of Art, Goethe-Institut, Austrian Cultural Forum, Institut Français and Ismaili Centre, all of whom contribute to the incredible diversity of the area.

As a counterpoint to South Kensington's cultural buzz and extraordinary architecture, the relaxing expanse of Hyde Park is less than five minutes’ walk away.

RCM Flash Mob at the Science Museum

The RCM Philharmonic giving an impromptu performance of excerpts from Holst’s The Planets at the Science Museum.

The RCM enjoys close relationships with all its neighbours, including fellow members of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group. A number of nearby venues host regular chamber recitals, where our students routinely perform. Similarly, RCM musicians are often invited to take part in gallery openings, exhibition launches and other special events, which are sometimes hosted in unusual and inspiring spaces.

Our close association with Imperial College London means you can be part of one of the largest and most active student bodies in the capital, while the close proximity of the Royal College of Art provides convenient opportunities to collaborate with likeminded creative students working in other disciplines.

A skyline, with a mixture of skyscrapers, of the London Southbank, showing the Gherkin, the Walkie Talkie building and the Cheesegrater.

Live and study in a dynamic cosmopolitan city

Beyond the cultural riches of South Kensington, London offers a world of opportunity and inspiration

Two students walking outside a modern brick building, carrying their instrument cases.

Accommodation options for RCM students

In addition to our own halls of residence, we advise students on finding places to live city-wide

South Kensington's eclectic range of activities and diverse mix of people has allowed it to thrive as one of London's most exciting quarters. A wide selection of pubs, cafés, restaurants and shops are all available nearby, as are essential services such as banks and post offices.

The area boasts convenient connections to the rest of the city, particularly central London, west London and our hall of residence, Prince Consort Village. Many local bus routes pass close to the RCM and nearby London Underground stations provide direct connections to Heathrow Airport, the West End, and several of London's mainline railway stations. Night Buses run daily and a weekend Night Tube service sees a continunous Piccadilly line service through South Kensington from Friday morning to late on Sunday evening.

How to get to RCM Jay Mews

To find out more about our local area and our neighbours, visit the Discover South Kensington website.

How to get to the RCM

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