Education visits
Information about workshops, videoconferences, undergraduate visits and school visits is available on our Education webpages.
Group visits
Groups of all sizes are welcome at The National Archives, but some need to book first. Find out everything you need to know about booking a group visit.
Group exhibition visits
Groups of 10 people or more must make a booking to visit Revolution 250: America's Independence Story 1763–1783. You must request a group booking at least seven days before your visit.
We are unable to accept group bookings in the first and last two weeks of an exhibition run. This is to manage capacity and ensure that we offer a safe and quality visitor experience for all.
Completing the form does not guarantee a booking. You will be contacted by a member of our team to confirm your arrangements and, where applicable, take payment.
Revolution 250 visit packages
We have two paid packages available for groups to book to visit Revolution 250. Availability is limited, so early booking is advised.
Package one: Exclusive access to Revolution 250
Groups of between 10 and 30 people can book exclusive access to the exhibition between 09:00 and 10:00, Tuesday to Saturday, for a set fee of £50.00 for the group. This package does not include any form of tour.
You can request to book this using our form to Enquire about a group exhibition visit.
If you are interested in booking a group of more than 30 people, please complete the form at the earliest opportunity, so that we can discuss it with you.
This package is free of charge for government departments and for UK school groups.
Package two: Exclusive access and a private tour of Revolution 250
Groups of between 10 and 20 people can book a 45-minute private tour with an exhibition curator, between 09:00 and 10:00, at a cost of £15.00 per person. Tours are available on Fridays, subject to availability.
You can request to book this using our form to Enquire about a group exhibition visit.
Exhibition visits during regular opening hours
We try to accommodate group visits to our exhibitions during regular opening hours. Please note that:
- We cannot guarantee entry for groups who have not contacted us prior to their arrival.
- Groups may be requested to wait to enter the exhibition at busy times.
- Groups may be split up when entering the exhibition at busy times.
Postgraduate student visits
Bringing a group of university students to The National Archives is a great way to introduce them to using archival collections and original source material as part of their research.
Visits can be arranged for a wide range of disciplines from history, politics, and archaeology to literature, art and media.
We offer three basic packages for visits:
Research package one
A 45-minute tailored introduction to The National Archives’ collections delivered by a specialist in your field. It includes an introduction to archives and archival research and advice on how to use catalogues and finding aids to access relevant documents. It does not include any work with original documents. This costs £130 for up to 15 students or £260 for up to 30 students, including admin and billing time.
Research package two
A 2-hour records-based session with a specialist in your field. This includes all the information in the 45-minute tailored introduction plus a document workshop either focusing on records related to the course students are studying or a general ‘dissertation inspiration’ taster selection of our collection. This costs £345 for up to 15 students or £500 for up to 30 students, including admin and billing time.
Research package three
A half-day archival skills workshop. This is an in-depth workshop focussing on records on a particular topic or from a particular series, including how to use relevant finding aids and work on the format and formulae of the records, using original documents. This costs £540 for up to 15 students or £860 for up to 30 students, including admin and billing time.
Book a university group visit
Please note that we require six weeks’ notice to organise a visit.
School and undergraduate visits
We offer a wide range of workshops at The National Archives in Kew in our purpose-built classroom, giving groups an exciting opportunity to work directly with real documents.
Getting here
We have one coach bay on site, which must be booked in advance.
Getting here
The National Archives is located in Kew, southwest London. Find out how to reach us by car, bike, coach and public transport, including accessible routes.