When you arrive

To avoid disappointment, it is advisable to book a place in advance to visit us, so please see our Planning a Visit page for details on how to make a booking.

When you arrive

Please arrive at the time you have booked for your session. We have free onsite parking, including designated disabled spaces. Please also see our Facilities & Access page for more information on facilities and access to the building.

Upon arrival at reception of the Royal Berkshire Archives (RBA), we will ask you to sign our visitors' book. By doing this, you agree to abide by various guidelines to help us preserve our collections.

We require visitors looking at original documents to register for an Archives Card which is a national scheme allowing visitors to use one card to visit all participating archive services.

Registration needs to be done in advance of your visit which is then completed when you arrive.

Full details on how to sign up and what ID is required, can be found on the Archives Card website.

If you are unable to apply for an Archives Card, you will need to bring some form of ID with address and/or signature with you on your visit to be issued a Day Pass in order look at original documents. This will only be valid for the day of your visit.

Your Archives Card or Day Pass will be kept on the shelf holding the records you intend to look at for the duration of your visit, so please remember to take it into the searchroom with you.

An Archives Card or Day Pass are not required for looking at library material, microfilm/microfiche or the computers, but please be prepared to apply for one should you need to look at original records at any point on your visit.

Other things

Please see our Facilities page for more information on facilities and access to the building.

We will ask you to place your personal belongings in the free to use lockers provided, and to not take food, drink, pens or bladed tools into the searchroom.

We also ask you to turn your mobile phone to silent, to respect the quiet working atmosphere in the searchroom though please accept that some talking is to be expected from staff and visitors alike. Personal audio equipment is allowed as long as you listen through headphones at a low level.

There is low level background noise from the air conditioning system and lighting is available throughout.

We hope you will enjoy your visit to the RBA.