History of the Parliamentary Archives

Read about the history of Parliament's amazing records, from the middle ages to the present day

• The early archive of the Lords
• The Lords Archive in the 16th and 17th centuries
• Storage at the Jewel Tower
• The early archives of the Commons
• Surviving the 1834 fire
• The Early 20th century
• Evacuation during the Second World War

Discover the real function of this famous London landmark: storing over 500 years of Parliament's history

• A purpose-built home
• Storing the records
• Rebuilding the Tower's interior
• Preserving the Tower's exterior

Early Acts, famous records. Find out more about some of the fascinating records in the Parliamentary Archives

• Some early Acts
• Famous records
• The truth about Acts
• From parchment to print

What work does the Archives do today? And is there a role for Archives in a digital world?

• Public exhibitions
• The archives in the digital age
• The archives today

A chronology of the key moments in the history of the Archives, from the earliest records of the House of Lords in 1497 to the present

• 1497 to the 19th century
• 20th century to the present day

The Parliamentary Archives has a fascinating history. Find the best sources on the subject to help you learn more

A podcast explaining what the Parliamentary Archives do and the services they offer

Explore various collections from the Parliamentary Archives

• Parliament and the Olympics
• Parliament and the Queen
• Royal Weddings
• The State Opening of Parliament
• Black Rod

Olympic medals and memorabilia from the collections of Parliamentary Olympians

• Parliamentarians at the Olympic Games: full list
• Lord Higgins: Olympic competitor's blazer badge, 1952
• Sir Menzies Campbell: Olympic running vest and blazer
• Lord Glentoran: Olympic gold medal for bobsleigh
• Lord Moynihan: Olympic silver medal for Rowing (Eights)
• Lord Coe: Olympic running shoes
• Olympic memorabilia from the Moynihan Collection