RESOURCES

Archives

Located near Olympia in west London, the Victoria and Albert Museum Archives comprise three units:

• the Archive of Art and Design
• the Beatrix Potter Collections
• the V&A Archive

The Archive of Art and Design

The Archive of Art and Design (AAD) was established in 1978 to house the V&A's growing archival holdings.

It collects, conserves and makes available for research the archives of individuals, associations and companies involved in the art and design process. Particular emphasis is placed on records concerning 20th-century British design. For more information, see the Archive of Art and Design  webpage.

The Beatrix Potter Collections

This major collection of material relating to Beatrix Potter has at its core the Linder Bequest. Received by the Museum in 1973, this laid the foundation for further acquisitions of individual items and groups of material. The original bequest includes correspondence, drawings, watercolours, photographs, literary MSS and other memorabilia. Natural history and landscape drawings outnumber ‘book pictures’. Also available for consultation at the archive are the 280 drawings and 40 early editions that comprise the separate Linder Collection, which remains the property of the Linder Trust. For more information, see the Beatrix Potter Collections webpage.

The V&A Archive

The V&A’s own institutional archives are also available for consultation. They provide a rich resource for the study of the history and influence of the Museum. Included in the archive are details of the acquisition and provenance of the Museum’s several million objects; its relations with major donors, collectors and lenders; its collecting policies and development; and the architectural history of the South Kensington site. Many departmental archives are also available, including those of the former Circulation department. Please note that although the archives are public records and are generally available for public consultation, some information in them, such as personal data or information supplied to the V&A in confidence, may be restricted under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. For more information, see the V&A Archive webpage.

Archives of the V&A Theatre and Performance Collections

The V&A's national Theatre and Performance Collections  can be accessed in the Blythe House Archive & Library Reading Room from Tuesday to Friday each week. An appointment is essential, and early booking is advised  (please allow at least a week's notice). 

Access to Archives at Blythe House

Material from all sections of the archive is available for consultation in the Blythe House Reading Room. Access is by appointment only. Reader Tickets are valid for use in the Blythe House Reading Room, the National Art Library and the Prints and Drawings Study Room. Anyone can apply for a Reader Ticket, free of charge, and they are valid for three years.

How to register for a Reader Ticket

You will initially need to register on arrival at the Blythe House Reading Room by:

• completing an application form
• providing personal identification and proof of address
• reading and agreeing to abide by the rules of the Reading Room

In addition, on each visit to the Blythe House Reading room, you will be asked to sign the visitors' book, to indicate that you agree to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998

Acceptable forms of identification and proof of address

To register you must provide personal identification and proof of address. If a single document provides both personal identification and proof of address then this is acceptable.  Otherwise you will need to provide one form of documentation from each of the lists below.

Acceptable forms of personal identification must bear your photograph or signature:

• passport
• national Identity card
• photo driving licence
• student identity card
• other official identification card from recognised place of work (provided it includes a photograph or signature), e.g. bank or credit card, British Library ticket

Acceptable forms of proof of address must bear your name and address:

• recent utility bill (within last 3 months)
• council Tax Bill (valid for current year)
• state Pension Book
• recent bank statement (within last 3 months)

How to renew your Reader Ticket

To renew your Reader Ticket you will need to complete an application form and tell us if any of the personal information we hold about you has changed. There is no need to renew old style tickets to the Blythe House Reading Room or National Art Library until these expire. They will remain valid for use in the relevant reading rooms.

How to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Reader Ticket

A lost, stolen or damaged Reader Ticket will be replaced free of charge. The repeated loss of Reader Tickets may result in the right of registration being withdrawn.

In order to make an appointment, please contact the relevant section of the Archive:

• Archive of Art and Design:  tel: +44 (0)20 7603 7493 , email:  archive@vam.ac.uk
• Beatrix Potter Collections:  tel: +44 (0)20 7602 0281 ext. 212, email: archive@vam.ac.uk
• V&A Archive: +44 (0)20 7602 5886, email: archive@vam.ac.uk
• Theatre and Performance Collections: +44 (0)20 7942 2698, email:  tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk

Access and Facilities for Visitors with Disabilities

The following guide describes access arrangements and services and facilities for disabled visitors to the Blythe House Reading Room, Olympia and to the National Art Library and the Prints & Drawings Study Room at the V&A South Kensington.

Study Room Services for People with Disabilities (PDF 64 Kb)

Study Room Services for People with Disabilities - Large Print Version (PDF 68 Kb)

Photocopying and photography

For reasons of preservation the photocopying of archival material is not allowed. Archives may be photographed for study purposes at the discretion of the archivist. For terms governing publication, commercial reproduction and copyright, please apply to the Museum's picture agency, V&A Images on tel. +44 (0)20 7942 2966,  fax +44 (0)20 7942 2482 or e-mail vanda.images@vam.ac.uk.

Opening Hours

The Blythe House Reading Room, which serves the Archive of Art and Design, the V&A Archive, the V&A Theatre and Performance  Collections and the Beatrix Potter Collections, is open Tuesday to Friday, from 10.00 to 16.30, by appointment only (Theatre & Performance Collections from 10.15).

Planned Closures during 2010

Easter
Closed from 16.30 Thursday 1st April
Re-opening at 10.00 on Tuesday 6th April

Annual stocktake
Closed from 16.30 Friday 13th August
Re-opening at 10.00 on Tuesday 31st August

Christmas holiday
Closed from 16.30 Thursday 23rd Dec.          
Re-opening at 10.00 on Tuesday 4th Jan. 2011
EXCEPT for Thursday 30th Dec. when open 10.00-16.30 Enquiries

Archive of Art and Design

Tel: +44 (0)20 7603 7493  fax: +44 (0)20 7602 0980, email:   archive@vam.ac.uk

Beatrix Potter Collections

Tel +44 (0)20 7602 0281 ext. 212, fax: +44 (0)20 7602 0980, email:  archive@vam.ac.uk

V&A Archive

Tel +44 (0)20 7602 5886  fax: +44 (0)20 7602 0980, email:  archive@vam.ac.uk

V&A Theatre and Performance Department Collections

Tel +44 (0)20 7942 2697, fax: +44 (0)20 7942 2697, email:  tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk

Location

The Blythe House Archive & Library Reading Room is located at:
Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, London W14 0QX.

The nearest Underground/National Rail station is Olympia (3 minutes walk).

Other Underground stations within 10-15 minutes walk are:

• Barons Court (District and Piccadilly lines)
• Hammersmith (District, Hammersmith and City and Piccadilly lines)
• Shepherd’s Bush (Central and Hammersmith and City lines)
• West Kensington (District line)

Buses 9, 10, 27, 28 and 391 go to Olympia.

For more information click the icon for the London Transport Journey Planner 

The public entrance to Blythe House is via a turnstile at the south east corner of the building (Gate A, between No. 1 Blythe Road and the Post Office). Please use the intercom by the turnstile to inform reception of your arrival.