Architecture

The British Architectural Library at the Royal Institute of British Architects is one of the most important collection of architectural materials in the world. The collections include books and journals, drawings, archives and photographs covering architectural law and practice, architectural history, building types, the architecture of specific countries or regions, sustainability and town planning.

The RIBA Collections are free to access and open to all.

NB: RIBA Library and Collections services update, May 2025 

Summer to Autumn summary

• access to RIBA Library and Collections material previously held at 66 Portland Place is now CLOSED while material is moved to its temporary locations.
• access to drawings and archives through the RIBA Architecture Study Rooms at the V&A and Piper Centre outstore remains unchanged at this time.
• 31 May 2025: 66 Portland Place will close completely to the public ahead of its refurbishment. 
• over the summer we will continue to answer email enquiries to library@riba.org and photo@riba.org as best as we can. There may be some delays in responding, especially if the relevant material is in the process of being moved.
• September 2025: We anticipate that our interim service will begin at The London Archives from Monday 15 September and Crown Fine Art from Thursday 18 September. Prior to any visit, users are advised to check our website in case there has been any change to these dates.

Reopening from September 2025 

RIBA’s Library and Collections previously held at 66 Portland Place will re-open at two interim sites, with the following arrangements:

RIBA Collections at The London Archives
40 Northampton Road
London EC1R 0HB

Through our partnership with The London Archives (TLA) we will offer access to the most frequently requested Library material via their reading rooms in Clerkenwell. There you will find:

• journals
• a small selection of quick reference material, including our indexes and biographical directories
• in-person access to the expertise of the RIBA Library team

Our on-site service at The London Archives will be open:

• Mondays 10am to 4.30pm
• Tuesdays 10am to 4.30pm
• Wednesdays 10am to 7pm
• Thursdays 10am to 4.30pm

Please visit The London Archives website for more information about their opening hours and directions.

RIBA Architecture Study Room at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)

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.

Did you know you can make use of other London university libraries? And use other Higher Education libraries during the summer vacation period via the SCONUL scheme? This could be particularly helpful if you live in another part of London or usually return home to another part of the UK outside of term time.

For a full list of access arrangements and details of what you'll need to do to apply, visit the UCL web pages about other libraries.