Students and Early Career Researchers

Free space to study

Open from 10am Monday to Thursday, The London Archives is the perfect spot for studying. Our light and welcoming Information Area provides space for independent study - bring along your laptop or use one of our public computers. You will also have access to The Mediatheque where you can browse our multimedia collection including, oral histories, films, photographs and much more.

For those who don’t want to leave the building, we have a visitors lounge with a coffee machine, as well as our exhibition space to visit. For those who want to venture out, Spa Fields Park is immediately opposite our front door, and Exmouth Market is two minutes away with a variety of eateries and cafés for a well-deserved break.

Access to resources

For those conducting research, the Information Area houses the core of our 100,000-volume library on the history of London, alongside printed maps and microfilm readers. You can also access all our online resources including the London Picture Archive, which provides free access to over 250,000 prints, maps and photos of London, as well as our YouTube Channel.

In our Mediatheque area, we offer free access to the following sites:

• Early Modern England: Society, Culture & Everyday Life, 1500-1700 – which contains records from the Middlesex Sessions of the Peace, City of London Sessions, and Court of Judicature from the 17th century
• Women’s Studies Archive – which includes primary sources from the 19th and 20th centuries which shed light on women’s history and the issues that affected them

Archival research

For those wanting to take their study a little deeper you can register for a History Card which allows you to order documents through our catalogue. We know navigating the catalogue can sometimes be a little tricky, so we have a helpful video on ordering material, and our team are on hand to help you with your research.

Other ways to learn?

We also offer a core programme of talks and tours which are designed to highlight parts of our collection, and offer a deeper understanding of our records. Check what's on, or sign up to our mailing list to learn more.

Getting started

If you haven't visited us before, or are unsure where to start, we run free monthly sessions on 'Starting Your Research at The London Archives' which provide helpful advice and tips on accessing our collections, and using our resources. You can book and find out more about these sessions on our Eventbrite page.