Archive Sessions: Origins of the Archive
Want to know the hidden histories of our venues? Join us in the archive to explore our institutional records, and become a historical curator and investigator.
Learn how to arrange, catalogue and repackage a collection of documents and objects from our Southbank Centre institutional collection, ensuring that everything we preserve for the future is accessible to all.
Our archive holds 1.4 kilometres of memories about performances, exhibitions and events from the creation of the Southbank Centre site in 1951 to the present day. It holds documents, oral histories, programmes, artworks and objects from across the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and the Hayward Gallery.
In these sessions we explore a collection that provides a unique glimpse into the culture of arts and London from the 1960s through to the 1990s.
Need to know
The session on Wednesday 26 November takes place in the Sunley Pavilion, Level 3, Green Side, Royal Festival Hall.
The environment can be loud and busy at times.
You are welcome to come to as many sessions as you like. We encourage you to book your dates/tickets in advance as slots are filled quickly.
If you feel you can’t attend due to travel expenses or other things, email [email protected] and we will try to support you in any way possible.
For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.