Our library on the third floor of 66 Portland Place in London offers access to books, periodicals, and photographs in the RIBA Collections. Our collections range from 15th century illustrated texts to the latest architectural journals and photographs from around the world.
Opening hours
Industrial action on train and London Underground services:
Wednesday 4 October - if both the planned train and London Underground strikes proceed, we will unfortunately be unable to open the library on this date.
Friday 6 October - we plan to remain open on this date, when industrial action is expected to affect London Underground services only.
Usual opening hours are:
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 11am to 5pm
- Tuesday: 12pm to 7pm
- Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: Closed
Upcoming closure: Please note there will be an upcoming exceptional one day library closure for a departmental meeting on Friday 13 October.
To keep updated on evolving library guidelines, please review the Information for Researchers (PDF) document. Please do not travel to the building if you have any symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Admission
Entry is free and everyone is welcome. You will be asked to sign in with a photo ID or RIBA membership card.
Food and drink are not permitted in the reading room and bags must be left in the free lockers provided.
Access to materials
For access to photographs collections, please email photo@riba.org to arrange an appointment.
Many of our books and journals can be browsed on open-access shelving. Closed-access books and journals can be requested on the day of your visit.
For access to our drawings and archives collections, please visit the RIBA Architecture Study Rooms at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
Accessibility
Step-free access is available by lift to the third floor. Guide dogs are welcome.
Photography, reprographics and Wi-Fi
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.
A scanner and free Wi-Fi are available.
Revisiting the Collections
Our items have been collected and catalogued over almost two centuries, with some items dating back to the 15th century. Some materials and descriptions contain outdated and offensive language or need further contextualising. We are working to address this and to ensure that our collections and descriptions are appropriate to our audiences today.
