The Albert Memorial was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband, Prince Albert, who died in 1861 from typhoid. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, an English architect, and is over 60 meters tall. The Memorial consists of a large canopy with a statue of Prince Albert facing south. It took over 10 years for construction to be completed and cost an estimated £120,000.

During the planning stage of how best to remember Albert the idea of establishing a university or international scholarships were mentioned but Queen Victoria demanded a memorial 'in the common sense of the word'.

The statue of Price Albert was not "seated" until 1875, three years after the construction had finished on the canopy. Prince Albert can be seen wearing the attire of a Knight of the Garter and is holding a catalogue of The Great Exhibition of 1851. Albert arranged the Great Exhibition which highlighted British dominance of culture and industry at the time.

The Memorial has over 169 carvings depicting famous composers, architects, poets, painters, and sculptors. On each corner, there is a group sculpture to depict a continent-group with Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas being depicted. Europe is represented by a bull, a camel for Africa, an Elephant for Asia and a buffalo for the Americas.

The Canopy of the memorial also has a number of Mosaic artworks showing an allegorical figure of the four arts: poetry, painting, architecture and sculpture.

Below the canopy's cornice is a legend split into four parts. The legend reads: Queen Victoria And Her People • To The Memory Of Albert Prince Consort • As A Tribute Of Their Gratitude • For A Life Devoted To The Public Good.

There are also 8 statues near the top of the canopy to represent the Christian virtues which are Faith, Hope, Charity and Humility, and Fortitude, Prudence, Justice and Temperance. A central female figure holds an hourglass, symbolising the critical nature of time to industry, while an ironworker stands at his anvil and a potter and weaver offer their wares.

The massive effort to coordinate the artworks and sculptures on the memorial was given to the Henry Hugh Armstead who was an English sculptor and illustrator.

During restorations in the 1990s the grand seated figure of Prince Albert is now covered in gold leaf.