Everyone visiting The National Archives has a responsibility to follow good document handling practice and help preserve the documents in our care.
Why is good document handling important?
The National Archives’ collections are publicly accessible, so the most significant risk to their ongoing condition comes from use. To ensure that documents remain accessible to everyone, both at present and in the future, this guidance underlines the fundamentals of good document handling.
Start by reading our overview to good handling practices, which explores rules for readers and using handling aids.
This guide also covers how to handle specific types of documents and materials at The National Archives. When photographing documents in the reading rooms, good handling takes priority.