Collections

V&A+RIBA Architecture Gallery|
V&A + RIBA Architecture Gallery|Discover the permanent display of architectural highlights from the collections of the RIBA and V&A. Admission is free.

 

Regarded as one of the top three architectural collections in the world and the finest in Europe, the British Architectural Library| at the RIBA holds over four million items:

  • 150,000 books
  • 2,000 periodicals titles
  • 1 million drawings
  • 1.5 million archive items
  • 1.5 million photographs

 

Archives|

Letter by Sir Edwin Lutyens to his wife, 1931|

Records and papers from architects and the RIBA

Audiovisual|

Audiovisual|

Recordings of talks, events and programmes

Biographical files  |

Biographical files|

Over 20,000 files on architects and firms  

Books|

Page from Tallis's London street views |

Books, monographs, and early works 

Drawings|

Students working with RIBA drawings|

Architectural drawings, sketches and models  

Periodicals|

Front covers of periodicals|

Printed periodicals and e-journals

Photographs|

Photograph of Palazzetto dello Sport under construction|

Architectural images, slides, prints and negatives

RIBApix|

RIBApix|

Browse the collection of digital images  

 

 

Use the online catalogue| to discover the depth and diversity of these growing collections. Everyone is welcome to visit| and admission is free to the Library's two sites at the headquarters of the RIBA (66 Portland Place, London) and at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The collections can also be explored as part of the Library's education| programmes and in exhibitions| at the RIBA and beyond.

 

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