# Serpentine Galleries

> a complex of two contemporary art galleries in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, in the center of London. These are the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery

**Wikidata**: [Q591086](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q591086)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpentine_Galleries)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/serpentine-galleries

## Summary
The Serpentine Galleries are a complex of two contemporary art galleries situated in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park in central London. The institution comprises two distinct exhibition spaces: the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery. It is located within the United Kingdom and focuses on the exhibition of contemporary art.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type**: Complex of two contemporary art galleries (instance of art gallery).
- **Location**: Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, central London, United Kingdom.
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 51.5047, Longitude -0.17505.
- **Constituent Parts**: The complex consists of the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery.
- **Inception**: Founded in 1970.
- **Founder**: Founded by the Arts Council of Great Britain.
- **Postal Address**: Serpentine South Gallery, Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA; Serpentine North Gallery, West Carriage Drive, London W2 2AR.
- **Director/Manager**: Yesomi Umolu (British museum curator).
- **Website**: http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/.
- **Classification**: Defined as an art museum or building/space for the exhibition of art.
- **Social Media**: Twitter handle @SerpentineUK; Instagram handle @serpentineuk; Facebook ID SerpentineGalleries.
- **Wikidata ID**: Q1768416.

## FAQs
**What are the Serpentine Galleries?**
The Serpentine Galleries are a pair of contemporary art galleries located in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park in central London. The complex is comprised of the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery.

**When was the Serpentine Galleries founded and by whom?**
The institution was founded on January 1, 1970. It was established by the Arts Council of Great Britain, a UK official body formed in 1940 to support the arts.

**Where are the Serpentine Galleries located?**
The galleries are situated in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, located in the City of Westminster, Greater London, England, United Kingdom. The specific coordinates are latitude 51.5047 and longitude -0.17505.

**Who is associated with the Serpentine Galleries?**
The galleries were founded by the Arts Council of Great Britain. The current director or manager is Yesomi Umolu, a British museum curator. The architect Lucía Cano is also listed as a key person associated with the entity.

## Why It Matters
The Serpentine Galleries serve as a significant cultural institution within the United Kingdom's art landscape. Located in the heart of London's Royal Parks, the complex provides a dedicated space for the exhibition of contemporary art, bridging the gap between public parkland and high culture. Its establishment by the Arts Council of Great Britain underscores its foundational role in the national support system for the arts. By maintaining two distinct venues—the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery—the institution expands the capacity for artistic exhibition in a major global city, contributing to the broader definition and appreciation of the "art museum" as a space for cultural engagement.

## Notable For
- **Dual-Gallery Complex**: Distinguished as a complex comprising two separate galleries—the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery—rather than a single venue.
- **Prime Location**: Notable for its location within Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, integrating contemporary art architecture into historic royal parklands.
- **Founding Body**: Established by the Arts Council of Great Britain, highlighting its status as an officially supported cultural entity.
- **Architectural Association**: Associated with Spanish architect Lucía Cano.
- **Global Identification**: Maintains extensive global identifiers and library classifications, including Dewey Decimal 708 (Museums, collections, exhibits) and Library of Congress Classification N400-N3990 (Visual arts).

## Body

### Location and Geography
The Serpentine Galleries are located in the United Kingdom, specifically situated in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park in the center of London. The geographic coordinates of the complex are latitude 51.5047 and longitude -0.17505. Administratively, the location falls within the City of Westminster, a city and borough in Greater London, England. The City of Westminster was established in 1965 and serves as the administrative and political heart of the UK. The galleries' specific postal locations are identified as the Serpentine South Gallery in Kensington Gardens (London W2 3XA) and the Serpentine North Gallery on West Carriage Drive (London W2 2AR).

### Institutional Structure
The entity is defined as a complex of two contemporary art galleries. These two components are the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery. The institution is classified as an art gallery and falls under the broader definition of an art museum—a building or space for the exhibition of art. In the context of library and archival classification, the entity is indexed under the Dewey Decimal Classification as 708 and 727.7, and the Library of Congress Classification as N400-N3990.

### History and Foundation
The Serpentine Galleries were founded on January 1, 1970. The founding entity was the Arts Council of Great Britain, a UK official body established in 1940 to support the arts. The Arts Council of Great Britain acts as the "founded by" entity for the galleries.

### Governance and Key People
The leadership of the Serpentine Galleries includes Yesomi Umolu, who serves as a director or manager. Umolu is a British museum curator and writer with Nigerian citizenship. Additionally, the architect Lucía Cano is listed as a key person associated with the entity. Cano is a Spanish architect.

### Technical Identifiers and Digital Presence
The Serpentine Galleries maintain a comprehensive digital and administrative footprint. The official website is located at http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/. The institution maintains an active social media presence with the Twitter username "SerpentineUK" and Instagram username "serpentineuk".

The entity is tracked across numerous authority files and databases:
- **Library Systems**: VIAF ID 127478552; BnF ID 122135781; BNE ID XX107593; Library of Congress ID n80090322.
- **Archives**: UK National Archives ID 35490383; Archives Hub ID vtls000308730.
- **Cultural Databases**: KulturNav ID 000292897; BBC Things ID 2413471c-4179-452e-a2f0-01b06b2db52c.
- **Standard Codes**: ISNI 0000000121540370; Wikidata ID Q1768416.

### Contextual Environment
The galleries operate within the broader context of the United Kingdom's cultural sector. The UK, an island country in north-west Europe with a population of approximately 67 million, supports a wide array of cultural institutions. The City of Westminster, where the galleries are located, is a significant administrative borough with a population estimated at 211,365 in 2022. This borough is home to the UK Parliament and serves as the seat of national government, providing a politically and historically rich backdrop for the galleries. The City of Westminster borders other London boroughs, including the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and operates under the authority of the Westminster City Council.

## References

1. [Source](http://list.historicengland.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1217605)
2. BnF authorities
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. CiNii Research
5. National Heritage List for England
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. Visitor Figures 2015
8. Exhibition and museum visitor figures 2019
9. Google Knowledge Graph
10. Quora
11. [Source](https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/)
12. YouTube API