Study rooms

In addition to over 60,000 objects on display in the Museum, the V&A also has a number of study rooms, both on and off-site, where it is possible to view over 2 million objects from the Reference Collections and to conduct private research. Find out more about our study rooms and how you can access them.

Study rooms at the V&A

  • National Art Library
  • Prints and Drawings Study Room
  • RIBA Architecture Study Room
  • Ceramics Study Room

Study rooms at Blythe House, Olympia, West London

  • Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion
  • Archive and Library Study Room

National Art Library

The National Art Library (NAL), located on Level 2, V&A, South Kensington is a major public reference library, open to all visitors. The collection covers the fine and decorative arts, design and art history and contains books, periodicals, auction sale catalogues, exhibition catalogues, electronic resources and other formats of material. Amongst the many treasures are artists' books, illustrated books, fine bindings and rare and unique manuscripts.

Prints and Drawings Study Room

Visitors can study and enjoy over 750,000 objects not on display in the galleries, including designs, fine art prints, watercolours, old master drawings, photographs, commercial graphics, greetings cards, playing cards, fashion plates, posters, wallpapers and much more!

Some items that are light-sensitive and fragile can only be viewed under certain conditions and by special appointment.

Opening times


Wednesdays, 10.00 – 13.00 and 14.00 – 17.00
Thursdays 10.00 – 13.00 and 14.00 – 17.00

The V&A Prints and Drawings Study room will be closed for stocktake between 9 – 20 September, reopening on 25 September.

Location

Prints and Drawings Study Room, Level 3, V&A South Kensington

Viewing objects is by appointment only

We require a minimum of one week's notice for an appointment. Slots are booked up quickly, so please book as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment.

Individuals can have up to 5 objects, or boxes of objects, per visit. A group can have up to 10 objects, or boxes of objects, for a visit. The limit for a group is 10 people at a time.

To book an individual or group appointment, email:
aapd.enquiries@vam.ac.uk.

In your booking request, please provide:

  • First and second choice of visit date
  • Accession number and collection location of the object(s), which can be found on an individual object's record in Explore the Collections.

We have lockers in the print room lobby for small bags and coats only. Please use the main museum cloakroom for any large bags or other items.

Filming is not allowed in the print room without prior approval from the Print Room Manager. Still photography is normally permitted.

If you are unable to make your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible.

Collection Selection Boxes

You can also request up to five Collection Selection Boxes for individual study or group teaching. These contain original prints, drawings and photographs that introduce a particular period, style, material, or technique.

Disability access

Royal Photographic Society (RPS) collection

We are currently cataloguing the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) collection, which was transferred to the V&A from the Science Museum Group in April 2018. As we progress, you will be able to see the records for individual objects appearing on Explore the Collections.

Cataloguing the entire collection will take a few years and so we are sharing our working lists of the contents of each box of photographic prints and glass-based photographic material. These lists provide an overview of the collection contents and will help researchers in arranging to view objects.

RIBA Architecture Study Room

The V&A and RIBA work in partnership to provide access to the world's most comprehensive architectural resource. The collection includes over 1 million drawings, 1.5 million photographs and 1.5 million archives, including architectural diaries, travel journals, letters, notebooks, essays, papers and office archives.

Find out more about the V&A + RIBA Collections

Location

Access

Access is by appointment only.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7307 3708
Email: drawingsandarchives@riba.org

The RIBA Study Rooms will be closed from 21 August – 26 September, reopening on 2 October.

Disability access

Find out about access to and facilities for people with disabilities in the RIBA Architecture Study Room and our other study rooms.

Ceramics Study Room

The Ceramics Study Room allows you to view up close the objects on display in Rooms 136 to 139. Click on the links below to view objects that can be found in these galleries.

Location

Opening times

Monday – Friday, 10.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 16.00

Access

Access is by appointment only.

Western ceramics
Tel: +44 (0)20 3949 4731
Email: ceramicsstudyroom@vam.ac.uk

Asian ceramics
Tel: +44 (0)20 3949 4515
Email: ceramicsstudyroom@vam.ac.uk

Please note that appointments are subject to availability and the suitability of the objects to be shown in this manner.

Clothworkers' Centre for the study and conservation of textiles and fashion

The Clothworkers' Centre is currently closed and will reopen at the new V&A East Storehouse in 2025. The Clothworkers' Centre provides access to the Museum's outstanding collection of textiles, fashion and costume. The collections include over 1040,000 objects, ranging from tiny fragments of Egyptian textiles to large tapestries and carpets, from accessories and underwear to intricately embroidered 18th-century court dresses.

The Archive and Library Study Room

We are currently working to relocate all our archive collections. Access is not available until 2025 when we will be opening the new V&A East Storehouse in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Separate arrangements are being made for access to the V&A Archive, which houses the historical records of the museum, at V&A South Kensington.

The Archive and Library Study Room contains material related to four V&A archives:

  • Archive of Art and Design - Contains the archives of individuals, associations and companies involved in any stage of the art and design process.
  • V&A Archive - The institutional archives of the V&A and its predecessor organisations date from 1837 to the present day, providing a rich resource for the study of the history and influence of the Museum.
  • Theatre and Performance Archive - Includes extensive archives from performing arts companies and other organisations, as well as from individuals such as performers, stage designers and private collectors.
  • Beatrix Potter Collections - The V&A holds the world's largest collection of Beatrix Potter's drawings, watercolours, literary manuscripts, correspondence, photographs and related materials.

Location

We are currently working to relocate all our archive collections. Access is not available until 2025 when we will be opening the new V&A East Storehouse in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Separate arrangements are being made for access to the V&A Archive, which houses the historical records of the museum, at V&A South Kensington.