This nationally and internationally significant collection of archives, photography and rare books can be found at Birmingham City Library.
Birmingham Archives and Collections acquires and presents historically significant original and printed records related to the city of Birmingham, including business records, photography, film, letters, diaries, drawings, maps, oral history recordings and more.
Dating from the 12th century to the present, over 6,000 archive collections occupy more than 12 miles of shelving at Birmingham City Library. These include significant special collections such as the Milton, Shakespeare, Johnson and Cervantes collections, over 13,500 volumes of fine print and a local studies collection of over 60,000 items.
Birmingham Archives and Collections is dedicated to ensuring the collection is accessible to all; at the Wolfson Centre for Archival research, the archival reading room at the library, access to records can be booked in advance, with locals able to trace their family history and visitors to explore the library’s vast resources.
