From Concept to Icon: A celebration of UCL’s Wilkins Building by the Survey of London

Discover the story of University College London’s iconic Wilkins Building in this free architecture exhibition at the UCL Art Museum’s Prints & Drawings Room in Bloomsbury, London.

Tracing over 200 years of architectural history, the exhibition reveals how one of London’s most recognisable university buildings reflects changing ideas about education, design, and institutional identity.

Drawing on new research by the Survey of London and the Bartlett School of Architecture, the exhibition brings together architectural drawings, artworks, and archival material from UCL Art Collection and Special Collections to explore the evolution of the building from its 1820s origins to the present day.

Visit to discover how the Wilkins Building became an enduring symbol of UCL and an icon of Bloomsbury’s academic and cultural history.

Book - Survey of London: The Bloomsbury campus

Survey of London: The Bloomsbury campus is the first comprehensive account of UCL's architectural history and the evolution of its iconic London Bloomsbury campus, released in recognition of UCL's Bicentenary in 2026. Get your copy today. 

Plan your visit

Visit From Concept to Icon every Wednesday 1pm-5pm during the UCL Art Museum's Prints & Drawing Room's opening hours.

Access

Access to the UCL Art Museum's Prints & Drawings Room, and all public areas within it, is step-free.

Finding us

The UCL Art Museum's Prints & Drawings Room is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of central London. The nearest tube stations are Euston Square (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City), Goodge Street (Northern Line), Warren Street (Victoria Line), and buses 18, 30, 73, 134 and 205 stop three to five minutes away on Euston Road. See planning your visit.