24 September 2026 (past event)
- 15:30 to 16:45
Tour
Behind the scenes tours
Explore the secret spaces and stories of The National Archives.
- Date
- 24 September to 17 December 2026
- Location
- The National Archives, Kew
Have you ever wondered how 1,000 years of the nation’s stories are preserved?
The National Archives is the official archive for the UK government, and for England and Wales. From Domesday to Downing Street tweets, we are the guardians of over one thousand years of history – spanning parchment rolls, paper records and digital files.
Step behind the scenes of The National Archives with an expert tour guide and discover hidden gems from one of the world's largest collections. Observe first-hand the inner operations of a working archive, and uncover our fascinating history, beginning in 1838 with the Public Record Office. The National Archives is a working archive, so each tour provides a unique experience, and the content of the document display will vary according to what is available on the day.
Visitor Reviews
“An excellent guide provided fascinating and thoughtful insights into the complexities of the operations. Lots learnt about the challenges of keeping public records. Well-chosen documents displayed.”
“Fascinating to see the progress of the order of a document to delivery.”
Running time
The tour will last approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Dates are available all year round and are added on a rolling basis. Please check back in the coming months for updated availability. We also have a small number of dates available for private group tours. Please email whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk for more information and to book.
Access
This tour takes you through different areas of the building, including long corridors, stairs, and lifts. You will be walking and standing most of the time, so we recommend wearing comfortable footwear. The spaces we travel through can sometimes be busy and loud, and the flooring features a very short incline on the second floor.
Important information
- The meeting point for the tour is in the Welcome Hall (entrance) of The National Archives. Latecomers will not be admitted.
- Food, drink, coats and bags are not allowed on the tour and should be stored in the ground-floor cloakroom.
- Tours are aimed at an adult audience, but children between 10 and 16 years old can attend if accompanied by an adult.
- Only photographs taken with a phone without flash are allowed. You can only take photos in permitted areas – our guide will indicate where these are.
- The National Archives is a working archive, so each tour provides a unique experience, and the content of the document display will vary according to what is available on the day.
- If you have any questions, please contact us at whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Event details
- Dates
- 24 September to 17 December 2026
- Price
-
£20
- Location
- Across our building
-
The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, TW9 4DU
Dates for this event
14 October 2026
- 11:15 to 12:30
29 October 2026
- 15:30 to 16:45 Sold out
18 November 2026
- 11:15 to 12:30 Sold out
17 December 2026
- 15:30 to 16:45 Sold out
Plan your visit
What is The National Archives?
The National Archives is the official archive of the UK government, and England and Wales. We are the guardians of over 1,000 years of iconic national documents.
Everyone is welcome to visit our headquarters in Kew. We put on exhibitions, events and displays and offer reading rooms giving access to our collections there.
Getting here
The National Archives is located by the River Thames in Kew, 30 minutes from Central London. We offer advice on travelling to us by car, bike, train or bus.
Children and families
We provide a warm welcome to visitors of all ages, including children and family groups.
- Free activity sheets (for ages 1+) are available from the Time Travel Club trolley in our entrance hall
- Our café is child-friendly and there are picnic benches outside
- Prams and buggies are welcome, and we have a buggy park
- Baby changing facilities are located by our entrance hall, at the top of the main stairs, and in the library
- Emergency supplies of nappies and wipes are available
Eat and drink
We have a café and coffee bar provided by Maids of Honour, a historic local tea room and bakery. It has spacious indoor and outside seating and a soft play area.
On the menu is a variety of high-quality lunchtime meals, sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks, tea and coffee. Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements are all catered to.
