The Festival of Britain

This resource explores the social history of Britain and its connections to design, art, history and geography – demonstrating how public spaces reflect culture and bring communities together.

The history of the Southbank Centre begins with the 1951 Festival of Britain, for which our Royal Festival Hall was built. Inspired by the Great Exhibition of 1851, this national exhibition and fair was billed as ‘a tonic for the nation’. A celebration of art, science, industry and design it reached millions of people throughout the UK and helped bring the public together to imagine a fresh start for post-war Britain.

Through the history of the Southbank Centre and the Festival of Britain, this resource for KS2 and KS3 classes explores life after the Second World War and traces connections between this time period and our world today.

It includes group and whole-class activities and discussions that you can tailor to your learning environment. And if you wish to develop these activities further, the resource includes links to films and books about the Festival of Britain, art and design from the post-war period, and life after the Second World War.