ABSTRACT
One of the factors that has made lecture demonstrations at the RI so effective is its famous lecture theatre. It was built over some gardens next to the house in Albemarle Street and came into use in 1802; the basic design remains unchanged to the present day and it is one of the only theatres I know in which over 450 people can all see and hear extremely well wherever they are seated. It is semicircular, with the lecture bench at the centre, and very steeply raked; the lecturer can see every member of the audience and everyone has an uninterrupted view of the bench. The acoustics are remark ably good and extra amplification is rarely necessary.
