The name of the Academy was officially introduced by the Law of November 1, 1886, but it was not the actual beginning of the Academy's work in Serbia. The formal founding of the Serbian Royal Academy was only one of the turning points in the development of learned societies in Serbia. The Academy inherited the property of the Serbian Learned Society and continued its work. Finally, in 1892 when the two institutions merged the Academy accepted the members of the Serbian Learned Society as its own either regular or honorary members. The Serbian Learned Society (1864-1892) was, however, only the short-term extension of the suspended Society of Serbian Letters (1841-1864). Thus, the development of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts cannot be presented without the learned societies that preceded it and from which it originated. ENDOWMENTS and FUNDS have also enormous importance for life and development of the Academy.

Source and further information: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts