Growing the RIBA Collections

We have been collecting material related to the history and practice of architecture since the Royal Institute of British Architects was first founded in 1834. This material represents a world-class resource of over 4.6 million items, together known as the RIBA Collections, which continues to grow today.

The purpose of our collections is to promote public and professional understanding and enjoyment of architecture and its history, culture, and practice. We do this by preserving and developing our collections, and interpreting them to engage the widest possible range of audiences in our library, our study rooms, and through exhibitions and public programmes.  

What we collect

Our collections have always covered a broad range of media types, subjects, and geographical origins. The original prospectus for the Institute of British Architects (as RIBA was known before being granted its Royal Charter) called for "a Library of works of every kind connected with architecture". From the beginning, RIBA Members were encouraged to donate books, manuscripts, prints, drawings, models, casts, specimens of building materials, money, and (before long) photographs.  

Almost 200 years later, the RIBA Collections encompass: 

• books (spanning rare and early volumes as well as the latest titles) 
• journals 
• drawings 
• photographs 
• manuscripts 
• our institutional archive 
• architectural models 
• drawing instruments 
• office equipment 
• architectural medals 
• portraits 
• architecture-related toys 
• building fragments 
• coins 
• personal memorabilia 
• historic silverware, original furniture, chinaware, and glass of 1934, which make up a 'working collection' of objects in our headquarters building at 66 Portland Place

Just as in the early years, the material we collect spans the whole process of design, from 'back of the envelope' first ideas, to presentation drawings and press photography. The spread of the collections, nationally and internationally, makes them a crucial record of the collective memory of the architectural profession.  

Today, new acquisitions range from single drawings to practice archives. Our collecting practices have evolved in step with the development of the profession, and we have begun to add born-digital material (including databases, drawings, photographs, and administrative records) to our collections.  

How we collect material 

We still rely on the generosity of architects, their families, photographers, and others for many of the new additions to our collections. Often, we are approached about acquiring an architect's archive after their death, or on the closure of a practice. We also purchase some material, sometimes supported by external fundraising efforts. Other material is acquired through RIBA's programmes, for instance material relating to projects that have won RIBA Awards.  

Our decisions about what material to acquire take account of several factors. We carefully consider its potential value as a resource for research or public engagement with architecture. In practical terms, we also think about the size, condition and medium of the material and whether it is compatible with our storage and conservation capacities.

Another aspect is whether the material might help bolster areas that are currently underrepresented in our collections. For example, priorities for future acquisitions include:

• material relating to women and global majority architects, clients, patrons, and collaborators
• projects that broaden our geographical scope, offer insights into sustainable architecture
• work representing styles such as Post-Modernism and High-Tech, which are currently little covered by our existing collections
  

Thinking about the future of your own collection? 

If you are thinking about finding a future home for material relating to the history or practice of architecture, and you would like to consider donating it to our collections, we would love to hear from you.  

The first step is to get in touch with a brief description of the material, for example how many items there are, and if there are any specific architects, buildings or projects represented. It can also be helpful to know if there is a tight deadline for the removal of the material from its current location, for instance in the case of an office closure or house clearance.  

Depending on the type of material you would like to discuss, you may wish to make contact through one of the following email channels. However, if you’re not sure what media type your material covers, or it spans several types (for example, a practice archive containing books), we will be very happy to direct you. 

• Drawings and archives: drawingsandarchives@riba.org 
• Photographs: photo@riba.org 
• Books: library@riba.org 

Find out more 

Our Collections Development Policy [PDF, 681 KB] outlines the scope and use of our collections, including our acquisition and disposal processes.