New archive space to bring our history to life
A new and improved archive space has opened at Barts Health, giving many more people the opportunity to explore our historic collections.
Now located in the Kenton and Lucas block at Britain’s oldest working hospital – St Bartholomew’s in the City of London – it is the first time all of the Trust’s archive material can be accessed from a single location.
NHS staff, students, and members of the public – from academics to family historians – can consult material from the collections, which are housed across over two kilometres of shelving.
The oldest document in the archives dates from 1137, and the team is still preserving digital and paper records of the Trust and its hospitals today for the future.
The opening marks the end of a mammoth project which started with the move from the old archives space at Prescot Street in Whitechapel in November 2020.
Barts Health lead archivist Kate Jarman said: “The new facilities will provide a better and more efficient service for researchers.
“We are also very excited to have space for community engagement and teaching, and improved reprographics services.”
The archives are open to all by appointment only, with records and object collections from the 12th to the 21st centuries.
The team also hope to schedule an open day for Barts Health staff to find out more about the service later this year.
Find out more, including visitor information on our website.
The St Bartholomew's Hospital Museum, located in the North Wing of the hospital, will reopen to visitors from Tuesday 8 February.