Royal Institution of Australia

The Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) is a national scientific not-for-profit organisation with a mission to 'bring science to people and people to science'. It opened in October 2009.

The concept of a Royal Institution of Australia was proposed by Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield CBE, as Thinker in Residence for the South Australian Government during 2004 and 2005. Greenfield was Director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain from 1998 to 2010. The South Australian Premier Mike Rann was receptive of the idea and secured State, Federal and private sector funding for the building and the programs. The Royal Institution of Australia's inaugural Chairman is Peter Yates AM.

As a national hub for science communication, RiAus promotes public awareness and understanding of science. RiAus highlights the importance of science in everyday life by creating online content, public events, and education and teacher support programs.

RiAus' foundation partners were the Government of South Australia, the Commonwealth Government and oil and gas company, Santos. It has a paid membership program, including both corporate and individual members, and most events are free.

RiAus is the first and only sister organisation outside of the UK of the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RiGB).

RiAus is housed at The Science Exchange in South Australia, which is Adelaide's former building. Built in 1901 and designed by the architects Hedley Allen Dunn in collaboration with Henry Fuller, this red brick building in Federation/Edwardian style with Arts and Crafts influences (including a stained glass window by Morris & Co., with three of the six panels after the designs of Edward Burne-Jones) is listed among the 120 nationally significant 20th-century buildings in South Australia.

Half of the building, which is open to the public on weekdays, has heritage value. The other half was gutted by two fires in the 20th century and is now office space for RiAus and the Australian Science Media Centre.

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