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This page gives guidance on borrowing items from The National Archives for an exhibition.

Section 2(4)(g) of the Public Records Act 1958 empowers the Keeper of Public Records to lend documents 'for display at commemorative exhibitions and for other special purposes', subject to the approval of the Lord Chancellor.

If you would like to borrow documents from The National Archives, there are some points you should consider:

  • we require six months' advance notice for any loan
  • loans can be made to one venue only and not to travelling exhibitions
  • the period of loan is usually three months
  • the borrower is responsible for all costs, including insurance, conservation treatment if required, providing photographs of all items and all costs associated with the installation and collection of borrowed items
  • loans will be considered for public display purposes only
  • The National Archives must be clearly acknowledged in both the display and any accompanying catalogues to the exhibition.

See the conditions for loans

Loan application form (PDF, 0.04Mb)

Selected recent and current exhibitions

Compass and Rule: Yale Center for British Art, Yale, USA, 18 February - 30 May 2010

Henry VIII - Man and Monarch: British Library, London, 23 April to 6 September 2009

Compass and Rule - Architecture as Mathematical Practice in Early Modern England: Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, 16 June - 6 September 2009

Convict Hulks: Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Sydney, Australia, 15 August 2007 - 15 August 2009

Henry VIII - Heads and Hearts: Hampton Court Palace, 10 April - 3 August 2009

Shah 'Abbas - The Remaking of Iran: British Museum, London, 19 February - 14 June 2009

Van Dyck and Britain: Tate Britain, London, 18 February - 17 May 2009


 

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