The RIBA Library

You can access items from the RIBA Collections at two sites in London: the RIBA Library at 66 Portland Place or the RIBA Architecture Study Room at the V&A.

You can search the collections online through the RIBA Library catalogue and browse more than 100,000 images on our image library.

If you have a question, contact us on +44 (0)20 7307 3882 or info@riba.org.

Browse books and periodicals and view items from the Rare Books Collection and the Robert Elwall Photographs Collection in the RIBA Library, located on the third floor.  

Please note that there is a mixture of open and closed access to the books and periodicals*, with timed retrievals for offsite items at midday and 3pm; access to the Rare Books Collection is available on demand; and access to the Robert Elwall Photographs Collection is by appointment only.

Some recent journals may not be available as they have been sent to the binders. Please contact the Library in advance of visiting to check availability of this material.

The Royal Institute of British Architects,
66 Portland Place,
London, W1B 1AD

Opening times 

Tuesday 10am to 8pm
Wednesday  10am to 5pm
Friday  10am to 5pm
Saturday 10am to 1.30pm

Closed Monday, Thursday and Sunday.  

Planned closures 2019

• Easter - Friday 19 April to Monday 22 April inclusive
• May Bank Holiday - Saturday 4 May to Monday 6 May inclusive
• Spring Bank Holiday - Saturday 25 May to Monday 27 May inclusive
• Annual summer closure (four weeks) - Saturday 3 August to Monday 2 September inclusive
• Christmas and New Year holiday - dates to be confirmed

Admission

• Free admission
• Visitors are required to sign in with a photo ID or RIBA membership card each time they visit the library 
• There is wheelchair and step-free access to the Library by lift to the third floor.
• Guide dogs are welcome
• Free lockers – bags, food and drink are not permitted in the library

Services

• Photography of books and periodicals is permitted for the purposes of non-commercial research or private study - please read our personal photography policy before visiting
• Photocopiers and scanners are available
• RIBA members loan library – closed access to books and periodicals for RIBA members, including student members. please contact us for further information
• Free wifi
  
   

The RIBA Drawings and Archives Collection is held at the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of the V&A + RIBA architecture partnership.

Booking an appointment in advance of your visit is highly recommended for access to items from the RIBA Drawings and Archives Collection.

RIBA Architecture Study Room 
Victoria and Albert Museum, 
London SW7 2RL

Opening times 

Tuesday 10am to 5pm
Wednesday 10am to 5pm
Friday 10am to 5pm 

Closed Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.  

Planned closures 2019

• Easter - Friday 19 April to Monday 22 April inclusive
• May Bank Holiday - Saturday 4 May to Monday 6 May inclusive
• Spring Bank Holiday - Saturday 25 May to Monday 27 May inclusive
• Annual summer closure (three weeks) – Saturday 3 August to Monday 26 August inclusive
• Christmas and New Year holiday - dates to be confirmed

Following the opening of the new Exhibition Road Quarter entrance and courtyard, access to the V&A and RIBA Study Rooms is no longer restricted and is open to all visitors. 

Admission 

• Free admission, advanced appointment highly recommended
• Visitors are required to complete a reader registration form when they visit the study room
• Free lockers are located in the V&A Print Room - bags, food and drink are not permitted in the study room

Services 

• Photography is permitted for most of the items in the collection for the purpose of non-commercial research or private study - please read our photography policy before visiting
• Free wifi

In addition to self-service photography, photocopying and scanning in the library, we also offer a remote copying service, for books and periodicals, and a digitisation on demand service for drawings, manuscripts, photographs and material too fragile to be copied. 

Please contact us for further information about our reprographics services.