Visit us on the first Sunday of every month and explore our building, our picturesque gardens and discover a new side to The National Archives
You can view original documents in the reading rooms from 09:00, Tuesday to Saturday.
Collect your pre-registered reader’s ticket or apply on site for one between 09:00 and 16:00, Tuesday to Saturday.
| Day | Buildings | Reading rooms | Document ordering | Phone opening times |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Closed | Closed | Closed | 09:00 – 17:00 (switchboard service only) |
| Tuesday | 09:00 – 19:00 | 09:00 – 19:00* | 09:30 – 16:00 | 09:00 – 17:00** |
| Wednesday | 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:30 – 16:00 | 09:00 – 17:00** |
| Thursday | 09:00 – 19:00 | 09:00 – 19:00* | 09:30 – 16:00 | 09:00 – 17:00** |
| Friday | 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:30 – 16:00 | 09:00 – 17:00** |
| Saturday | 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:30 – 16:00 | 09:00 – 17:00 (switchboard service only) |
| Sunday | First Sunday of each month: 11:00 – 16:00 Other Sundays: closed |
Closed | Closed | Closed |
*Please note that the Research and Enquiries Desks will close at 17:00.
**Please note that advanced records and research advice is only available 11:00 – 15:00.
| Closure dates | All dates listed are inclusive |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day 2019 | Tuesday 1 January |
| Easter | Friday 19 to Monday 22 April (closing at 17:00 on Thursday 18 April) |
| Spring Bank Holiday | Saturday 25 to Monday 27 May |
| Summer Bank Holiday | Saturday 24 to Monday 26 August |
| Christmas | Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 December |
| New Year’s Day 2020 | Wednesday 1 January |
Restaurant, cafe, The Keeper’s Gallery and bookshop
Our bookshop is open from 09:00 to 17:00 Tuesday to Saturday, and from 11:00 to 16:00 on First Sundays. You can also browse and purchase books from our online bookshop.
| Day | Restaurant | Cafe |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Closed | Closed |
| Tuesday | Breakfast: 08:30 – 10:30 Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 |
08:00 – 18:30 |
| Wednesday | Breakfast: 08:30 – 10:30 Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 |
08:00 – 16:45 |
| Thursday | Breakfast: 08:30 – 10:30 Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 |
08:00 – 18:30 |
| Friday | Breakfast: 08:30 – 10:30 Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 |
08:00 – 16:45 |
| Saturday | Breakfast: 08:30 – 10:30 Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 |
08:30 – 16:00 |
| Sunday | First Sunday of each month: Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 Other Sundays: closed |
First Sunday of each month: 11:00 – 16:00 Other Sundays: closed |
Car park
| Day | Car park hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 08:30 – 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:30 – 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:30 – 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:30 – 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:30 – 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:30 – 20:00 |
| Sunday | First Sunday of each month: 11:00 – 16:00 Other Sundays: closed |
We have introduced new charges in our visitor car park from 3 January 2019. Find out more.
Parking outside these hours is not permitted, for the security of our site.
The visitor car park hours will be extended to accommodate out-of-hours events.
