Focus on
The birth of the travel guide
New
In the 19th century travel evolved from an aristocratic privilege to middle-class reality. Explore how rail guides made this possible.
Display
Stories Unboxed
- Date
- All-year round
- Price
- Free
About Stories Unboxed
Each month we take a single, remarkable document, put it on display, and explore its story. Come and see topical finds and lesser-known treasures for yourself!
Records come in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t matter if they’re 1,000 years old or 20 – each one offers a powerful glimpse into the past.
Stories Unboxed explores a different record (or maybe even two) from The National Archives' collection each month – that could set you on a journey of discovery...
- Browse a specially-curated selection of books on the month's topic from our library, next to the display case
- Join us for a ten-minute talk from one of our collection specialists, at the display case, on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:00
Currently on display
February 2026: Early railway travel guides
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This month's display offers insights into how people navigated early train travel with the support of travel guides.
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Come and discover this display for yourself! This record can be found on the first floor of The National Archives in Kew.
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.
Explore British train travel and railways
In pictures
Victorian and Edwardian travel posters
Our collections include a range of fascinating promotional material from railway companies in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Record revealed
Accident register for the North Eastern Railway Company
These record books reveal the substantial dangers to passengers – and for those operating trains – in the first decades that public railways existed.
In pictures
Railways
We hold records for over 900 pre-nationalisation railway companies, as well as British Rail, including staff records, accidents, posters, timetables, and more.