The Parliamentary Archives

The Parliamentary Archives provides access to the archives of the House of Lords, the House of Commons and to other records relating to Parliament. We also provide a records management service for both Houses of Parliament.

The Archives is usually open to the public all year round, Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.00pm (apart from public holidays).

The Search Room will be closed for annual stocktaking 16-27 November 2009 inclusive and no visits will be possible during that period.

What's in the Parliamentary Archives?
About our collections and the 3 million records they contain for political, local or family history.

Digitised Historical Parliamentary Material
Links to published Parliamentary material available online, including on external websites.

Visiting and Available Services
All about our opening hours, location, admission procedures, booking a seat, facilities, publications and copying services.

User Guides
Information on using the Archives' records for family history research, finding photographic sources and more.

Learning Resources
Key topics include the Gunpowder Plot, the Abolition of the Slave Trade, the Act of Union with Scotland and Citizenship.

Digital Preservation
What Parliament is doing to preserve its digital information for the long-term.

Freedom of Information and Data Protection
An introduction to Freedom of Information and Data Protection in each House, publication schemes and how to make a request

Records Management
A brief introduction to records management in Parliament