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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
Reflections on the Prejudice in Power exhibition: confronting UCL’s uncomfortable legacy
Director of Special Collections Sarah Aitchison reflects on the exhibition’s location, messaging and impact and shares insights into the planning process.
The New Curators Project 2026 is OPEN for Applications!
The New Curators Project is an annual programme run by UCL Special Collections. It offers 10 young adults in East London the chance to develop the skills and experience needed to start a career in the cultural heritage sector.
Call for Papers: Difficult Collections
What can practitioners and researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums? Across institutions globally, projects addressing troubling histories confront materials collected by eugenicists, slaveholders, colonial administrators, and others whose work caused profound harm. Working with these difficult collections raises ethical issues of consent, representation, reparations and ongoing responsibilities to affected communities.
2025 Anthony Davis Book Collecting Prize Winners announced!
We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Anthony Davis Book Collecting Prize. The annual Prize, generously funded by Mr Anthony Davis, encourages student book collectors at any London university.
Teachers, Teaching and a Fragile Sense of Hope: Reflections on ISCHE46
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend and present a paper at the International Standing Conference on the History of Education (ISCHE46) in Lille. The theme for this year was ‘‘Teachers and Teaching: History on the Move”.
Being human, being a learner, being mortal: one teacher’s MACOS story
Earlier this year, I received an email from a researcher about the MACOS materials in the IOE Library’s Special Collections, which I have written about on Newsam News (now discontinued).
New Cruciform Exhibition: Water and Sanitation in 19th Century London
Our new exhibition on Water and Sanitation in 19th Century London is now open at the UCL Cruciform Hub. It features reproductions of items from our collection that cover the debate over clean water and sanitation in the lead up to, and immediate aftermath of, the 1875 Public Health Act. The Act set out a requirement for local authorities to provide clean water and sanitation to residents.
Kelmscott Secondary School – Becoming an Historian
Year 9 pupils at Kelmscott Secondary School spent six weeks with our Outreach team, learning about the skills and knowledge required to become an effective and forward thinking historian. As a group, they chose the theme of medical history and they worked on researching one collection items each. Their hard work culminated in them writing museum label style descriptions, which we present to you in this blog, alongside some brilliant BlueSky posts.
Cavan McCarthy Archive
Written by Sophie Bouckaert, UCL Archives and Records Management programme.
Sign language histories in UCL’s Special Collections
Please note that this blog post contains some historic uses of language, which are outdated, offensive, and discriminatory. The language is retained in its original context and does not represent views of UCL Special Collections. We are committed to contextualising and addressing dated and harmful languages in our collecting practice, collection documentation, teaching, and engagement activities.
