Archives

The Central Archive of the British Museum contains the administrative records of the Museum dating back to its foundation in 1753. They are records created by the Museum and which have been selected for permanent preservation. The archive includes minutes of meetings of the Museum’s Trustees, departmental reports on acquisitions and administration, policy and financial records.

The Central Archive holds limited information on the Museum’s collection: these records are generally held by the Museum’s curatorial departments (with some exceptions).

For archival enquiries about Museum objects you should therefore contact the relevant department.

Archive material held by the British Museum Department of Manuscripts (usually with references beginning ‘Add’) and some other Museum records (before 1973) are now held by the British Library. Central Government records concerning the administration of the Museum, including various records of the Museum building, are held by the National Archives.

Access to the Museum's Archives is via the Paul Hamlyn Library by appointment.

For more information, please contact: 

Museum Archivist
Stephanie Clarke 
Telephone: + 44 020 7323 8224
email: sclarke@britishmuseum.org