Looking forward to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025? So are we, and we have some great tips to help you maximise your visit.
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 is destined to be illuminating, bizarre, moving and laugh-out-loud funny if previous shows are anything to go by. No wonder this annual event has special bragging rights. It screams London in the summer.
This flagship show, held in the main gallery from June 17 to August 17, 2025, is where amateur and professional artists compete to exhibit and sell their art, including prints, paintings, films, photography and sculptures. It is coordinated by a leading artist and an equally celebrated committee. As you go from room to room, you can detect the individual curator’s taste. Some rooms have a dark and gloomy vibe, while others are colour-themed, industrial, or cutesy. One gallery this year closely resembled a craft shop.
Prepare to be entertained by the significant proportion of odd exhibits. I have seen art school tutors laughing and debating the more “out there” creations… too much even for them.
Here are my tips to get the most out of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025.
Gain Free entry to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025
The one-off ticket price is £23.50 – £25.50 per person, but by becoming a Royal Academy member. Annual membership (£138 for 2 people and half price for the under 35s), you can dip in and out of the Summer Exhibition on the day and visit multiple times free of charge. And if you have any spare energy on the day, you can visit other exhibitions within the building without charge.
You’ll need at least two hours to see the RA Summer Exhibition 2025 properly
Go With An Open Mind
Expect to love, hate and be indifferent to many exhibits, and that is all ok. Seek out the one or two exhibits in each room which “speak to you”. That way, you will enjoy it more instead of feeling the need to generalise about the show as a whole.
Spot Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025: Exhibits by Royal Academicians
Interspersed with works by amateur and unknown artists, you will see a few by Royal Academicians like Tracey Emin.
Look Up and Down
Not every painting has a prime spot; some great pieces will be placed above and below eye level.
Make Use of the Royal Academy Members’ Room
The Summer Exhibition is an assault on the senses, and you can tire quickly. There’s a Member’s Only room beside the entrance called the Keeper’s House. You can get alcoholic refreshments, teas and coffees, cakes, bowl salads and sandwiches in much nicer surroundings than the general café.
Google the Room Curator
The name of the curator who has chosen the art for each room is displayed on the wall by the room entrance. You can find out more about them with a quick internet search. There’s a good internet signal in the exhibition.
The co-ordinator of this year’s Summer Exhibition is Farshid Moussaka, who explains this year’s purpose:
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 will be dedicated to art’s capacity to forge dialogues and to afford us sensitivity towards societal concerns, such as ecology, survival and living together.
Use the Viewing Benches
There are backless benches in every room, and these are usually placed at a good angle for viewing the art, so it makes good use of them if you need a rest from walking or standing.
You can combine a trip to the Royal Academy with a DIY bus tour using the Number 9 bus, which starts at Kensington Palace and terminates at Covent Garden.
Buy the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 Catalogue
The catalogue for the RA Summer Exhibition 2025 shows the name of the artist, the name of the work of art and the price of the piece. It costs £3.50 (2024) and is essential if you want to buy anything. Bring a pen so you can mark the title that you are interested in on the catalogue.
Use the Large Print Programme
Alternatively, there are several large print catalogues for the partially sighted which show essential information on the artist, art name and price. This is available in each room and needs to be returned to he stand before progressing to the next room.
Identify the Red Sold Stickers
You’ll see a red sticker on a piece when it is sold. If you see multiple stickers on a piece, it means that it is a limited edition work with more than one copy available.
If Buying Art, Visit the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 Early in the Season
Many works are priced under £250, which makes them a great buy for budding art collectors. Bear in mind that the cheaper exhibits tend to sell first. If you want to buy, attend a ‘member’s only’ preview or go early on in the exhibition calendar. You can book your tickets on the Royal Academy website.
Look for Art that May Work in Your Space
The purpose of art is never to merely adorn walls, but when viewing, look for a special piece that may fit in your home. Even if you don’t buy, it will give you purpose as you browse through hundreds of works.
Take Photos
There are no restrictions on photography at the RA Summer Exhibition 2025. You can fill your social media feed with inspiring and colourful shots. Aim to provide a context for the day by photographing the exterior of the iconic Royal Academy building and taking some general shots of the viewing galleries.
Gain Inspiration For Your Creations
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 provides fantastic inspiration for your arts and crafts. Sometimes a piece is so intricate and created by such talented artists that it would be impossible to recreate, but equally, there are many ideas in the show that are genius concepts, but with simple execution.
If you are visiting the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025, you are just a couple of minutes away from the famous Fortnum and Mason store, which has a Royal Warrant as the King’s grocer. Take a look at our posts on How to Curate a Perfect Fortnum & Mason Hamper. Food browsing is a perfect way to unwind after the Royal Academy. Or nip across to the road to the Wolseley and try their banana split: Is the Wolseley’s Banana Split the Best Dessert in London?
Pace Your Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 Viewing
There are approximately 9 key rooms in the RA Summer Exhibition, with the smaller, more interesting art pieces densely exhibited in the final rooms.
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 contains approximately 1700 works of art.
There is usually at least one fascinating large-scale installation in the final room. Most people tend to take their time viewing the first three rooms and run out of energy when it comes to the later exhibits. You may even want to see the show in reverse order, by starting with the final rooms and working your way forward.
Dress the Part
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 is the place to see and be seen. Dress exotically and extravagantly…act as if you are a hip artist or muse, not a suburban spectator.
