The RSA's Coffee House is our homage to the coffee house culture from which the Society was born on 22 March 1754. On this day, eleven men met in Rawthmells coffeehouse in Covent Garden, London and declared themselves to be the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
The overarching design for the Society, as set out by founder William Shipley (after whom the Shipley Room is named), was for members to pool their subscription funds, which would be spent on initiatives for the public good.
Ever since we've seen individuals from all walks of life come together to unite people and ideas in collective action to make change happen creatively.
Today, our community of over 31,000 Fellows is a unique global network of social innovators collaborating for positive action.
In 1992 the Gerard Bar was opened in this space, offering food and drink to Fellows. Named after benefactor Ron Gerard (after whom the Gerard Room is named), it was redesigned in 2008 and in the 2018 redevelopment, it became initially ‘Rawthmells’ Coffee House (named after our first meeting place) and more recently, the RSA Coffee House.
Why not consider joining our Fellowship for the opportunity to connect, collaborate and make change happen in our Coffee House.
The RSA Fellowship is an inclusive global community committed to finding better ways of thinking, acting and delivering change. RSA Fellows have been at the forefront of significant social impact since 1754. We invite you to be part of this change
RSA House in London is a great place to work, meet other Fellows and enjoy coffee and light refreshments.
Looking to the future since 1754. Find out more about the famous names and change made in the past.
Explore our unique venue with a selection of versatile spaces for hire.
As a charity, we rely on donors, funders and our Fellows to realise our vision. Donate and help to regenerate our world.