Yale in London 1977-2016
'A Remarkable Opportunity'

Established in 1977, Yale in London is the Paul Mellon Centre's longest running academic programme. It was inaugurated under the aegis of Christopher White, then Director, as a means to connect the Centre to the Yale campus in New Haven. Yale in London was initially part of Yale's Summer Program. In 1981 the success of the programme necessitated its growth into a fully comprehensive study abroad programme running during both the academic year as well as the summer.

Since the 1970s, the programme's structure, courses, student body, and branding have all changed to fit the times yet its core ethos has remained the same; to provide Yale students with high-quality teaching and significantly, first-hand experience of the architecture and artworks they have chosen to study. Jules Prown elucidated this concept in a letter to the Dean of Yale College, Horace Taft, in 1978. He wrote:

'Imagine being able to give a background lecture on Hogarth for an hour and then to proceed to examine the best examples of his work within easy walking distance of the Centre at the Foundling Hospital, the Soane Museum and the National Gallery.'

The display also examines how the experience of living and studying in London had a significant impact on many of the students.

In addition to the material being exhibited at the Centre, you can also find profiles of Yale in London Alumni and audio and video clips (below) highlighting all of the exciting aspects of Yale in London here on our website.

In 2013, the Centre interviewed Christopher White as part of its ongoing Oral Histories project. He had many insights into the programme and the faculty who taught, such as Nicholas Penny (then at the University of Manchester) and Brian Allen (then Assistant Director and Librarian at the Centre).