#IconBPG25 Conservation Uncovered: In-Person Tours

Visit Lambeth Palace Library to see how the Library team engage with readers, embrace sustainability through the new building and improve collection preservation to support the organisation’s mission and values. The tour of the library building opened to the public late 2021, will include public areas with views over the Thames, the Reading Room and the Collection Care studio with auxiliary spaces for preservation, quarantine, etc.

Visit the British Museum's Western Art on Paper studio in the World Conservation and Exhibition Centre and find out about current work that the paper conservators and conservation mounters are undertaking. You will have the opportunity to see a range of conservation and mounting for forthcoming display, as well as a glimpse into the breadth of work they deal with - from Ancient Egyptian papyrus to 21st century prints and drawings.

Visit the new National Portrait Gallery works on paper, photographs, and miniatures conservation studio.

This new space has been created in parallel with the re-opening of the gallery in Summer 2023 and has been fully operational since September 2023. It supports the ambitious display program of the Gallery. The studio is also equipped with analytical equipment to explore the materiality of the collection.

We’ll discuss current projects and the storage of photographic collection in cold environment.

Join us at The London Archives for a behind the scenes tour of our conservation and box making studios. This will be an opportunity to view TLA's unique collections and see some of the current projects being worked on across the team.

See the work of conservation and gain an insight into the techniques used to care for our collections on a ‘behind the scenes' tour of the Conservation studios.

We will meet at the main entrance: there will be a sign out next to the café and bookshop.

For security reasons, we can only allow up to 12 visitors to the studio at a time. For bookings exceeding 12 people, we will split the group in half and you will take it in turns to visit the studio. You are welcome to visit the Treasures Gallery or explore the British Library freely while you wait. 

Please note that coats and bags (including handbags) cannot be taken into the studios and must be placed in either the cloakroom or lockers on the Lower Ground Floor ahead of the tour start time.

Food, drink, pens and markers are not allowed in the studios. Do note that there is a considerable amount of walking and standing on a tour. Please bear in mind that the conservation studios are working spaces, and colleagues may be moving around, talking, or doing other activities that generate noise.

Join us for an introduction to the Conservation Department at the Library and Archives, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Set within the historic Herbarium building, the conservation laboratory recently underwent a much needed renovation and is continuing to evolve into a modern and professional workspace.

The Library and Archives team is responsible for the botanical garden's vast paper-based collections. The collection includes approximately 7.5 million items, ranging from the 14th century to the present day, including printed books, manuscripts, botanical illustrations, archives, exsiccate, and artefacts.

This behind-the-scenes tour offers a rare opportunity to explore highlights from the collection, and to learn about past and ongoing conservation projects that help preserve these invaluable materials for future generations.

A tour of the conservation studio and repositories.