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Everyone can access UCL Special Collections digitally or in person. Our collections of rare, unique and historic archives & books cover themes including history of UCL, education, arts and sciences.
Collection Highlights
Archives
UCL's archive and manuscript collections include the UNESCO registered George Orwell Archive.
Records
Map of Bloomsbury, 1800 College Collection.
Exhibitions
View current and past exhibitions online.
Rare Books
The Ratdolt edition of Euclid's 'Elements', 1482.
Treasures from UCL
View 'Treasures from UCL', available for free online.
Finding Material
- You can search for rare books and other printed material on Explore.
- Archives and manuscripts are found on the Archives Catalogue.
- Search for digitised and digital content on Digital Collections.
For more information and video tutorials on how to use these resources to find material held by UCL Special Collections, learn about Our Collections.
News from our blog
Paper Trails Conference Programme 4th July 2019
We are delighted to announce the programme for this year’s Paper Trails conference which has been jointly organised with Dr Andrew W M Smith (University of Chichester). The conference focuses on the lives of our research material which often go unmarked, lost between the gaps in disciplinary boundaries and narrow definitions and the full programme is below. You can register for the conference here.
Conserving controversial literature: access and safe handling
This blog post was written by Marina Pelissari, MA Book Conservation student at Camberwell College of Arts
Announcing our first UCL Special Collections Visiting Fellow
We are delighted to announce that Dr Adrian C
UCL Special Collections Lates: The Colour of Spring
Our first Late was a sold-out success, so we’re very pleased to be able to announce the next event in our evening programme.
Inspired by the seasonal burst of many-hued blossoms outside our windows, we’d like to invite you to join us for The Colour of Spring, featuring a talk on how coloured light can reveal hidden secrets in Mediaeval manuscripts, a history of the educational movement the Woodcraft Folk, and displays of original material from UCL Special Collections.
Call for Papers: Paper Trails Conference, 4th July 2019
We are excited to announce that we’ll be hosting this year’s Paper Trails conference, working with Dr Andrew W M Smith (University of Chichister) alongside many other fantastic historians, researchers, archivists, librarians and educators. The conference is scheduled to take place at UCL on July 4th, 2019.
Dr Smith writes:
UCL Special Collections Launches Lates Programme
We are excited to be launching a series of evening talks for 2019, starting this month and running through to the next academic year.
We’ll be hosting sociable, relaxed after-work events, perfect for anyone who is interested to come into UCL to learn about the wonderful rare books, archives and manuscripts that we hold here. Each evening will present a particular topic or theme; talks and collection displays with wine, soft drinks and nibbles for all. What more could anyone want?!
Special Collections for Schools: a continuing programme
January is always a good time to reflect on our achievements and look forward to our upcoming plans and projects. Read on to discover some of the Outreach team’s highlights from last year’s Special Collection’s schools programmes – and what to expect from them next…
Teacher CPD with First Story
