Accessing the Archives

How do I view the items in your catalogue?

To view original archive items, you will need to visit our public reading room, which is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm. The reading room is situated in a building adjacent to Kew Gardens, TW9 3AE. To make the most of your visit we recommend that you book an appointment by contacting the archives team or calling +44 (0)20 8332 5417.

We may be able to provide you with copies via e-mail or the post for a fee, if you are unable to visit in person. Contact the archives team for further information.

What should I do if I can’t find what I’m looking for?

The catalogue is not yet comprehensive, so we may hold what you are looking for, but it has not been included in the on-line catalogue. Contact the archives team and they can check the paper indexes on your behalf.

How do I find out what books or artwork you hold?

Kew cares for many science collections. To find out what books (published works) we hold, search the library catalogue. The library team can be contacted at library@kew.org. There is currently no on-line catalogue of artworks. If you have a query regarding artworks held please contact the illustrations team at illus@kew.org.