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Royal Institution receives strong support in bid to save historic home Royal Institution receives strong support in bid to save historic home
(about 17 hours later)
The Royal Institution has been inundated with offers of support after it emerged last week that its iconic building in central London could be sold to pay off the organisation's mounting debts.The Royal Institution has been inundated with offers of support after it emerged last week that its iconic building in central London could be sold to pay off the organisation's mounting debts.
Several grassroots campaigns – led by prominent scientists including Nobel laureates and broadcasters – have come together in the last few days to find ways to raise money, save the RI's home, and give the organisation a sustainable future. Several grassroots campaigns – led by prominent scientists including Nobel laureates and broadcasters – have come together in the last few days to find ways to raise money, save the Ri's home, and give the organisation a sustainable future.
In a letter sent to members on Thursday evening, RI chairman Sir Richard Sykes thanked members for the "tremendous amount of support and suggestions" that they had received in the past week, adding that he had been "overwhelmed by the strength of feeling about the future of the Ri, and this is hugely encouraging as we work through some very complex issues. In a letter sent to members on Thursday evening, Ri chairman Sir Richard Sykes thanked members for the "tremendous amount of support and suggestions" that they had received in the past week, adding that he had been "overwhelmed by the strength of feeling about the future of the Ri, and this is hugely encouraging as we work through some very complex issues.
"No one more than I would like to see the RI flourish at its home in Albemarle Street, delivering our vibrant events programme and global outreach via the Ri Channel and Christmas Lectures, set against the backdrop of our wonderful heritage. However, as I have said previously, we have significant debt and a major challenge to find a sustainable operating model." "No one more than I would like to see the Ri flourish at its home in Albemarle Street, delivering our vibrant events programme and global outreach via the Ri Channel and Christmas Lectures, set against the backdrop of our wonderful heritage. However, as I have said previously, we have significant debt and a major challenge to find a sustainable operating model."
Nobel laureate and chemist Harry Kroto has lent his suport to a campaign to persuade the government or a philanthropist to step in and buy the 21 Albemarle Street building in Mayfair. And University College London materials scientist and 2010 Christmas lecturer, Mark Miodownik, said he planned "to galvanise the engineering and science community to take ownership of the fact that this is the heritage site that is all of ours. The RI have it in trust but it's ours and we need to take ownership of it. If it's going to be disposed of, then we need to step in and say 'no, the building is more important than the RI'." Nobel laureate and chemist Harry Kroto has lent his suport to a campaign to persuade the government or a philanthropist to step in and buy the 21 Albemarle Street building in Mayfair. And University College London materials scientist and 2010 Christmas lecturer, Mark Miodownik, said he planned "to galvanise the engineering and science community to take ownership of the fact that this is the heritage site that is all of ours. The Ri have it in trust but it's ours and we need to take ownership of it. If it's going to be disposed of, then we need to step in and say 'no, the building is more important than the Ri'."
In a letter to members last week the RI revealed that financial troubles had forced it to explore the option of selling its Grade I-listed building for more than £60m to pay off debts running at around £7m. The RI has been in financial trouble since completion of a £22m refurbishment of its building in 2008. The project included a fine-dining restaurant and was intended to modernise the institution and turn it into a "salon" for science to attract a wider audience. The subsequent economic downturn, however, meant that there were never enough visitors to pay for the organisation's running costs. In a letter to members last week the Ri revealed that financial troubles had forced it to explore the option of selling its Grade I-listed building for more than £60m to pay off debts running at around £7m. The Ri has been in financial trouble since completion of a £22m refurbishment of its building in 2008. The project included a fine-dining restaurant and was intended to modernise the institution and turn it into a "salon" for science to attract a wider audience. The subsequent economic downturn, however, meant that there were never enough visitors to pay for the organisation's running costs.
Miodownik said it was time for the scientific community to come up with a new vision for the purpose of the RI, founded in 1799 to carry out scientific research and support public engagement with science through lectures and demonstrations. It has suffered in recent years from a lack of visitors and competition from a resurgent scene of science festivals and public events. Miodownik said it was time for the scientific community to come up with a new vision for the purpose of the Ri, founded in 1799 to carry out scientific research and support public engagement with science through lectures and demonstrations. It has suffered in recent years from a lack of visitors and competition from a resurgent scene of science festivals and public events.
Kroto, who is based at the Florida State University, said that there was a need for new governance at the RI, given the controversies within the management team in recent years. "In order to attract potential donors, there will also have to be a forward-looking 'business plan' that is both compelling and imaginative in addressing the scientific and science educational needs of a country that must compete in the technologically advanced modern world." Kroto, who is based at the Florida State University, said that there was a need for new governance at the Ri, given the controversies within the management team in recent years. "In order to attract potential donors, there will also have to be a forward-looking 'business plan' that is both compelling and imaginative in addressing the scientific and science educational needs of a country that must compete in the technologically advanced modern world."
The Nobel laureate said he had been overwhelmed with offers of support for the campaign and had set up a committee of prominent scientists, including Richard Catlow at UCL and Cern physcist and broadcaster Brian Cox, to work on the details of a potential rescue plan. A meeting to develop a strategy for the campaign has been planned for next week in London.The Nobel laureate said he had been overwhelmed with offers of support for the campaign and had set up a committee of prominent scientists, including Richard Catlow at UCL and Cern physcist and broadcaster Brian Cox, to work on the details of a potential rescue plan. A meeting to develop a strategy for the campaign has been planned for next week in London.
In a statement to mark the launch of his campaign, Kroto wrote: "Make no mistake, if this building is sold the institution will be lost forever and it will be a loss fully commensurate with the one hundred and sixteen plays of Sophocles burned (only seven survive) and the wanton destruction of the Buddhist statues in Afghanistan as well as countless other priceless cultural icons of human creativity deliberately destroyed. In this case the act will not be by ignorant philistines but people who profess to be guardians of our culture. Sale of the building will be the death-knell of the greatest shrine to not only British science but to the scientific culture of the world, and we must not let this happen."In a statement to mark the launch of his campaign, Kroto wrote: "Make no mistake, if this building is sold the institution will be lost forever and it will be a loss fully commensurate with the one hundred and sixteen plays of Sophocles burned (only seven survive) and the wanton destruction of the Buddhist statues in Afghanistan as well as countless other priceless cultural icons of human creativity deliberately destroyed. In this case the act will not be by ignorant philistines but people who profess to be guardians of our culture. Sale of the building will be the death-knell of the greatest shrine to not only British science but to the scientific culture of the world, and we must not let this happen."
Miodownik has organised a coalition of more than 20 former Christmas lecturers – including David Attenborough, John Sulston, Richard Dawkins and Colin Blakemore – in a letter to the Times which argued that the RI's famous Faraday lecture theatre, where hundreds of scientists have delivered the annual Christmas lectures started by Michael Faraday himself in 1825, was as precious to the UK as any ancient palace or famous painting. "[Its sale] must not happen in a country that cares about culture, and least of all in one that pins its hopes for future prosperity on a new generation of scientists and engineers." Miodownik has organised a coalition of more than 20 former Christmas lecturers – including David Attenborough, John Sulston, Richard Dawkins and Colin Blakemore – in a letter to the Times which argued that the Ri's famous Faraday lecture theatre, where hundreds of scientists have delivered the annual Christmas lectures started by Michael Faraday himself in 1825, was as precious to the UK as any ancient palace or famous painting. "[Its sale] must not happen in a country that cares about culture, and least of all in one that pins its hopes for future prosperity on a new generation of scientists and engineers."
Responding to a Nature editorial that questioned the modern purpose of the RI, Bristol University psychologist and 2011 Christmas lecturer Bruce Hood wrote that the loss of the Faraday lecture theatre would mean the loss of the magic of the Christmas Lectures. "Despite the common misconception, science is not driven by pure logic, but rather the passion to discover – that is an emotional issue. The success of science communication today is not just the content, but the way scientists spark the imagination. Once you extinguish something as sacred as Abemarle Street, then the Christmas Lectures would be lost forever. Yes we could digitally recreate them in another location because, after all, Abemarle Street is just a building, but humans are a funny species who require sacred things to fire the imagination. Selling them would be tantamount to extinguishing Faraday's candle forever." Responding to a Nature editorial that questioned the modern purpose of the Ri, Bristol University psychologist and 2011 Christmas lecturer Bruce Hood wrote that the loss of the Faraday lecture theatre would mean the loss of the magic of the Christmas Lectures. "Despite the common misconception, science is not driven by pure logic, but rather the passion to discover – that is an emotional issue. The success of science communication today is not just the content, but the way scientists spark the imagination. Once you extinguish something as sacred as Albemarle Street, then the Christmas Lectures would be lost forever. Yes we could digitally recreate them in another location because, after all, Albemarle Street is just a building, but humans are a funny species who require sacred things to fire the imagination. Selling them would be tantamount to extinguishing Faraday's candle forever."
Miodownik said that private money would be the best bet to secure the future of the RI. "I'm approaching the banks, they've all been bailed out and they're all full of scientists and engineers who were maybe inspired by the Christmas lectures. I'm approaching them and saying, 'look, this is one of the things that fuelled your flame, you ought to be protecting it'. I'm for getting Rolls Royce, BAE Systems – these are the people who would benefit directly from this thing thriving." Miodownik said that private money would be the best bet to secure the future of the Ri. "I'm approaching the banks, they've all been bailed out and they're all full of scientists and engineers who were maybe inspired by the Christmas lectures. I'm approaching them and saying, 'look, this is one of the things that fuelled your flame, you ought to be protecting it'. I'm for getting Rolls Royce, BAE Systems – these are the people who would benefit directly from this thing thriving."
The money required to save the RI would not be enormous, he said. "If we got 10 of the biggest engineering and science companies in the country and a few banks all to put a million pounds in, we would be there." The money required to save the Ri would not be enormous, he said. "If we got 10 of the biggest engineering and science companies in the country and a few banks all to put a million pounds in, we would be there."
In his letter, Sykes said the scale of the challenge facing the RI was significant. "Over the last two years, we have been working hard to secure major funders and partners. We have many loyal supporters, but we have yet to establish a robust endowment that would put us on a firm financial footing." In his letter, Sykes said the scale of the challenge facing the Ri was significant. "Over the last two years, we have been working hard to secure major funders and partners. We have many loyal supporters, but we have yet to establish a robust endowment that would put us on a firm financial footing."