How to Prepare for Your First Visit to the UK National Archives: Everything You Need for a Confident Research Trip

A Practical Guide for Researchers, Genealogists, and First‑Time Visitors

There is something magical about holding a piece of history in your hands. The smell of the parchment, the weight of the documents in your hands, the way the letters on the page curve and flow, and the feeling of connection with the past. Research days feel like the first day of school for me: full of anticipation, possibility, and quiet joy, and my first trip to the UK National Archives was just as thrilling as I had hoped.

When I’m visiting a new archive for the first time, I like to be prepared and know exactly what to expect so I can make the most of my research time. One of my current projects necessitated a visit to the UK National Archives. While I found the information on the website helpful, there were many things I wish I had known before my experience. This guide walks you through everything I wish I had known before my first visit to Kew, from registering as a reader to navigating the reading rooms.

My project centers around a notorious criminal, and I needed to access some WWII-era trial documents, but I wasn’t certain these records still existed or had survived the war. Thankfully, The National Archives has digitized their catalogue. One quick search revealed that the documents I needed were at The National Archives building in Kew.

With this information in hand, the planning for an epic adventure into the archives began. My family was already planning a trip to France for a wedding and we decided to tack on a visit to London for some additional sightseeing. This gave me the perfect excuse to dip into the archives for day. Since my time there would be extremely limited, I needed to plan carefully to make the most of each minute.

My visit to the archives ended up being one of my most memorable research days I’ve ever had, and it taught me a lot about how the process works in practice. If you’re planning your own visit, whether you’re chasing ancestral clues or diving into historical research, I’ve gathered everything I learned so your first trip can feel just as smooth and just as magical.

To help you make the most of your time, here are the steps that will make your visit feel deeply rewarding.

Step 1: Verify Where Your Documents Are Located

Before you go, confirm where your documents are actually located. Not everything indexed on the National Archives website is actually held at the National Archives in Kew; their catalogue includes records from over 2,500 archives. You can search the catalogue at the link below to see where to find the records you need.

Discovery | The National Archives

Step 2: Choose How to Access the Records

You have two options for accessing your records. Visiting in person is a great option, but if you are traveling long distances, it might be more economical to have archive staff retrieve and copy the documents for you.

• Option 1: Have archive staff copy the documents for you.
  
  To use this service, you’ll first pay a small fee to have a staff member evaluate the viability of replicating the documents and conduct a page count. They will ensure that the documents are able to be copied without damage and send you a report with the total cost to reproduce the documents, including the number of pages and the cost per page for digital or paper copies. You can decide whether to proceed once you receive the estimate. The entire process takes about a month from start to finish. The initial page-count fee is £8.40. (More information: How to order, view and copy documents – The National Archives)
  
  I initially planned to use this service myself, but after the staff conducted the page count, I learned that the records I needed contained over 1,000 pages. At that point, visiting in person made far more sense for both cost and efficiency.

• Option 2: Visit the archives in person.
  
  This option is certainly the most fun. If you can manage the trip, the experience is well worth the effort. There is nothing quite like viewing and handling historical documents for yourself. If you choose this option, you’ll need to register as a reader before you can view your documents.

Step 3: Register as a Reader

The next step in the process is relatively painless; you must register for a reader’s ticket. You may register in person, but I recommend doing so online ahead of your planned visit. To register, simply provide your personal information and watch a short video on how to properly handle historic documents. The video takes around ten minutes but has a lot of valuable information. Even if you are accustomed to viewing historical documents or have training in document preservation, there are lots of little reminders and tips to help make the process easy.

After you complete the form and watch the video, you’ll receive a temporary reader number, which you can use to reserve your space and preorder your documents. Plan to do this at least one week before your visit. If you do not do this ahead of time, there are usually some same-day spots available, but you’ll want to arrive first thing in the morning to secure a spot.

I registered as a reader online before visiting the archives but ordered my documents the same day as my visit. This worked best for me as I wasn’t certain which day I would be able to take the train out to the archives before our trip. Once you are a registered reader, your reader ticket is valid for three years.

Step 4: Arrive Early and Store Your Personal Belongings

To maximize your time, I recommend arriving early. If you need to reserve a spot, you will want to arrive before the reader’s room opens. There are two different train stations near the archives: Kew Bridge and Kew Gardens. I took the South Western Railway line from Waterloo in London to the Kew Bridge station, which was easy and affordable.

Alternatively, you could take the District Line tube or the London Overground Line, both of which stop at Kew Gardens. The Kew Gardens station is slightly closer to the archives, but the Kew Bridge station is only about a 10-minute walk away. Buses and rideshares are available if you want to go into Kew Bridge but prefer not to walk to the archives.

When you arrive, you will want to store your personal belongings in the downstairs cloakroom. Free lockers are available where you can securely store your things. The space was clean, tidy, and had plenty of capacity. Bags of any kind are not allowed in the reading room, so you will want to store them in the lockers. Clear plastic bags are provided to help you carry your essentials to the upstairs reading rooms. These bags were very sturdy, and I saw several people use them to carry their laptop computers.

Only certain items are allowed into the reading rooms. Even though all of your items will be in a clear bag, those bags were still searched upon entering the reading room. Laptops, tablets, phones, and charge cords are all allowed in the room. These are your best options if you need to take notes from the documents. If you prefer to handwrite notes, you are allowed a small notebook and pencil, but your pencil cannot have an eraser. No pens or markers of any kind are allowed in the reading room.

Each workstation has power outlets available, so you can keep all of your devices charged. Remember that no food or snacks are allowed upstairs. Those items should be stored in your locker.

I took a small coin purse that contained my identification card, a credit card, and a few pounds; my iPad and case with Apple Pencil and detachable keyboard; cell phone; passport; charging cables; and my UK to US power adapter.

A small cafe and coffee bar is located downstairs, just outside of the cloakroom. There are plenty of seating options with tables and workspaces and free Wi-Fi in the cafe area. Many people were working here or chatting with others before the reading rooms opened.

Step 5: Documentation and Verification

Once the reading rooms open, you may head up the stairs to the registration area. I was fortunate to be the second person in line, but the line did move quickly for those behind me. Be sure you have your temporary reader number and two forms of identification. If you did not register as a reader before arriving, there were volunteers here to help people register and watch the training video. You will need one form of ID that can prove your address and one form that can prove your name and signature. A list of acceptable documents can be found at this website: Do I need a reader’s ticket? – The National Archives

I brought my passport as my proof of name and signature and my US state-issued driver’s license as proof of my address. I was not the only American visiting the reading rooms for the first time that day, and the staff were all very kind and helpful. They took time to explain the process to anyone who needed additional help. After finding your temporary reader number and verifying your IDs, the staff will take your photograph and issue you a registered reader ticket which is valid for three years. Your reader ticket is a plastic card with your photograph and registered reader number. You will need to scan your reader ticket to enter and exit the reading room.

Step 6: Check the Status of Your Documents

If you preordered, your documents will likely be waiting for you when you arrive. If you didn’t order your documents ahead of time, you can do so using the available computers in the registration area. Simply scan your reader ticket, search the catalogue for the documents you want to view, then add them to your order. Once requested, orders usually take about an hour to fill.

Although it is generally recommended to order your documents ahead of time, I did not order mine due to some variability in my travel schedule. There are several exhibits you can view in the registration area while you wait for your documents to be brought up. I enjoyed an exhibit on Winston Churchill while waiting for my documents, feeling the anticipation build.

You can check the status of your order from any of the computers in the registration room. Once the order is marked filled, you can proceed to the reading room. Take note of your assigned table number listed in the document order page. If you have trouble finding what space you were assigned, see any staff member or volunteer for help. The staff bring up documents in batches, so placing your order early in the day helps.

Step 7: Retrieve Your Documents

You are finally ready for the most exciting part of your day! Proceed to the desk station with gates to access the reading room. Your clear bag and the items in it will likely need to be viewed by the security staff before you enter the room. After security clears your bag, scan your reader ticket on the electronic reader and the clear gates will automatically open for you. These gates are the same as those found in many large office buildings.

When you pass through the gates, you will see a central desk with large cubbies on either side. These are the document lockers. Your documents will be in the locker with the same number as your seat assignment for the day. You might find multiple folders or boxes in your locker. Remember that you can only take three items or one box at a time to your workstation.

You may go back and forth from the lockers to the desks as frequently as you would like, so long as you do not have more than 3 items or one box on your desk at a time. Scattered around the room you will find electronics stands, foam supports, and page weights to help you handle and photograph your documents. Help yourself to whatever you need.

If you plan to use one of the electronics stands to help you photograph the documents, you can reserve one ahead of time. I found that there were plenty available on the day I attended the archives. Photography is allowed, but flash photography is not.

The environment in the reading room is quiet, like a library, with occasional sounds of documents moving and keyboards clicking. Many people brought headphones and were listening to things as they worked. If you need any assistance or have any questions, I found that the staff at the desk were incredibly kind and helpful. One even helped me remove and later replace a tag on a stack of documents that I otherwise could not turn and view.

Step 8: Return Your Documents and Check Out

Visitors can come and go from the reading room as needed. Several people left around lunchtime and came back later. Just use your reader ticket to scan in and out at the gate. When you are done for the day, return your documents to the dedicated return desk. A slip of paper will be placed with the documents in your locker. This paper lists everything you have checked out for the day. Return this slip with your materials to the return desk when you are finished. Once the documents are returned, you are free to scan out and retrieve your items from the cloakroom lockers.

Summary

Visiting the UK National Archives is an easy and seamless process. The staff and volunteers are always ready to help, so there’s no need to feel intimidated. After my time viewing and photographing the documents I needed, I spent some time perusing the downstairs gift shop. The coffee bar and cafe were busy and reasonably priced, though I did not try them. The cafe closed earlier than I anticipated, so if you are planning to eat lunch there, confirm their operating hours for the day of your visit. The coffee bar was open the entire time I was at the archive.

My trip to the National Archives was memorable in all of the best ways. Nothing compares to the feeling and sensations of holding historical documents in your own hands, and this experience was one that I will not soon forget. I am already looking for an excuse to plan a trip to Kew in the future so that I may once more immerse myself in the sounds, smells, and timelessness of the archives. If you love history, genealogy, or the quiet thrill of discovery, a day at Kew is an experience you will carry with you long after you leave the reading room.

Packing Checklist

These are the items I found most useful to bring with me:

• Two forms of ID (proof of address and proof of name/signature)
• Temporary reader number/registered reader ticket
• iPad, laptop, camera, and/or cell phone to take pictures and record notes
• Charging cords
• Pencil (no eraser) and paper (optional)
• Clear pencil case or clear folder (optional)
• Sweater (the reading rooms can be chilly)

With these tips and preparations, you’re all set for a productive and enjoyable visit to the UK National Archives!

About the Author

Amanda is a writer, researcher, and former educator who explores the intersections of history, place, and memory. She has a passion for history, genealogy, and place‑based storytelling, bringing clarity and curiosity to the overlooked stories that shape our world. Through The Archive Lens, she shares research‑driven narratives that invite readers to look closer and discover the past with fresh eyes.

Visit our About the Author page to learn more.