Westminster City Archives offers access to extensive collections of local, family and community history sources. You must be a member of Westminster libraries to visit. You can apply for a library card online, or sign up at the Archives Centre or any branch library. Details can be found on the Westminster libraries pages.
Westminster’s libraries and the Archives Centre are offering a reduced service under the new national lockdown measures, and will be operating temporary opening hours for 3 weeks:
Tuesday - 10am – 6pm
Wednesday - Monday, closed
Our Searchroom is currently closed. We will continue to run our enquiry service and will be offering an interim enquiry service for GRO index enquiries. Please email archives@westminster.gov.uk with your enquiry.
On a Tuesday we will:
The searchroom is located on the 5th floor of the Archives Centre.
Visitors are asked to leave coats and bags at the ground floor reception where secure lockers and coat stands are provided.
We ask visitors to use only pencils in the searchroom. Mobile phones are not permitted in the searchroom.
Photography of archive material is permitted in most cases. Please speak to a member of staff about what you would like to make copies of. Prices and further information on our reproduction options can be found here.
View the searchroom rules (PDF, 136KB).
Access for people with disabilities
For wheelchair users there is a steep downward gradient leading to a level entrance. The searchroom on the 5th floor can be accessed via a lift, which is suitable for use by wheelchair users and others with impaired mobility. There is level access on the ground floor to a wheelchair-accessible toilet as well as level access to the meeting room on the ground floor.
There is an induction loop in the meeting room and registered assistance dogs are welcome.
City of Westminster Archives run a number of cross-curricular history projects throughout the course of the academic year normally undertaken as an outreach service.
For more information on our education service, please contact our Archives Education and Interpretation Officer, Peter Daniel, on:
The Archives and Local Studies service exists to support 'Read Learn Connect' by:
Please read and download our policy documents: