Research Activities

The National Archives is not just a repository: we conduct research ourselves, as well as enabling it for others. We do research to support our public task: to preserve the record and make it accessible to the public.

Our Research Vision (2024 – 2027) sets out four themes which will guide our research across the next few years:

1.     Trusted and secure custodianship (preserving and caring for our records)

2.     A responsible, sustainable future (environmental responsibility and planning for the future)   

3.     Global, inclusive access (broadening access to our records, including digitally, and making marginalised voices visible)

4.     The archive within and for society (shaping place, wellbeing and identity)  

Our research happens in collaboration with others, in the cultural heritage sector, higher education, the private sector and government. Research-active staff at The National Archives contribute to pioneering, interdisciplinary research projects; publish in peer-reviewed journals; speak at academic conferences; and participate in postgraduate teaching and supervision.

We welcome collaborative and interdisciplinary research opportunities, and have a large and flourishing grant portfolio, from UKRI and other research funders. We have over 20 collaborative PhD students working with us at any one time.

Our research events showcase and grow our research, including our biannual Discovering Collections, Discovering Communities conference, History and Archives in Practice, an Annual Digital Lecture, and many more.

Explore our Roadmap to learn how we will deliver our research priorities and read our Research Vision in full.