Can anyone access the National Archives?

Our building, including our reading rooms and exhibition spaces, is now open to everyone. We encourage reading room visitors to book their visit and order documents in advance. You do not need to book to visit our exhibition, shop or cafe.

Do you have to pay for National Archives?

We encourage you to visit The National Archives, where you can do your research and view documents free of charge, whether they are online documents or not online.

How long does it take to get records from the National Archives?

Allow about 10 days for us to receive and process your request, then you may check on the status. If you know your request number, click the Check Status button below to go to the check status page.

Are UK court records available to public?

Public records of births, deaths, marriages and civil and criminal court cases are easily available in the UK. Public records can be obtained from a variety of sources.

What records are publicly available?

A public record is any document, regardless of physical form, that is made or received in connection with the public business of any state agency. “Regardless of physical form” means that films, audio tapes, pictures, photographs, computer files and email all may be considered a public record.

Are the National Archives open for visitors?

Amenities. The National Archives Store is open daily, 10 a.m. to closing.

Is the National Archives part of the UK government?

The National Archives is the official archive and publisher for the UK government and for England and Wales. It is the guardian of some of our most iconic national documents, dating back over 1,000 years. The National Archives is a non-ministerial department. How to buy print copies of official documents.

How to contact the National Archives and Records Administration?

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272

Where can I find family history in the UK?

The National Archives home page ( The National Archives Gov. Uk) is informative and filled with options for searching more than just the UK National Archives. Although many users of the The National Archives are family historians, this is not primarily a family history site, and most records are not name-indexed.

Where can I find the archives of Wales?

Archives Wales Search For information on the content, scope and size of archives of Welsh interest kept in record offices, universities and other institutions throughout Wales, including this Library, you should consult the Archives Wales Search website.