The Royal Academy of Music is Britain‚s senior conservatoire, founded in 1822. It is one of the leading music institutions in the world. The York Gate building, designed by John Nash in 1822 as part of the main entrance to Regent‚s Park, hosts the Academy‚s Œliving museum‚, open to the public free of charge. The York Gate galleries display many fine items from the Academy's collections of rare musical instruments, original manuscripts, archives, images and other artefacts. The highlights include Cremonese stringed instruments dated between 1650 and 1740, including Stradivari‚s 1696 ŒArchinto‚ viola, a selection of historical English pianos from 1790 to 1850, from the famous Mobbs Collection, original manuscripts by Purcell, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Brahms, Sullivan and Vaughan Williams and other exhibits. A visit to the Collections is to experience the vibrant working environment of the Royal Academy of Music. The museum is an integral part of Academy life: regular concerts, seminars, workshops and other events take place in the galleries, including performances and demonstrations on some of the instruments on display. Visitors are encouraged to view the galleries, watch the instrument custodian's team in the on-site workshop and attend the many concerts and research events taking place.