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The London Archives will be closing for Christmas at 4.30pm on Monday 23 December. We reopen at 10am on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Funded and Managed by
City of London Corporation
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About us

Our history, organisation and governance

The London Archives

The London Archives is a free public archive focussing on the history of London, from 1067 to the present day. We preserve and share millions of historical manuscripts, maps, photographs, books which tell the story of the city. You can find us in central London in Clerkenwell, close to Farringdon Station.

It's free to visit and use the archives and many of our exhibitions and events are free to attend. The London Archives is funded and managed by the City of London Corporation. We opened as The London Archives in August 2024 and were previously known as London Metropolitan Archives.

Our mission is to preserve and share London’s History for you to discover and enjoy.

Our vision for the future is to open London’s History to the World.

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About Us
Our history
Key dates in the history of The London Archives
Explore our past on a timeline showing key events in the history of The London Archives and its predecessors, from 1067 to today
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About Us
The City of London Corporation
Governing the Square Mile
We're part of the City of London Corporation, the governing body for the Square Mile.
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About Us
Archives accreditation
The London Archives is an accredited archive
Find out about the archives accreditation scheme.
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About Us
London's Archives
Continue your research in London's archives
Discover archive services across the Greater London area.
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About Us
Policies and plans
Preserving and sharing London's archives
Read policy documents from The London Archives and the City of London Corporation Corporate Plan
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Visit us
Visit Us
Key information for visitors
Plan your visit to The London Archives.
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Exhibition
Lost Victorian City
Our current exhibition
Find out about the Lost Victorian City exhibition at The London Archives - exhibition runs until February 2025!