Group tours and visits

We are delighted to welcome groups for an introductory talk and tours around Lancashire Archives.

Arrangements may be made for groups up to 25 people to visit us. This can be an opportunity to learn at first-hand how the service works, how we preserve Lancashire's archival records and see some of our treasures! The visit will include an introductory talk, a tour of part of the building, and an exhibition of original documents, including local material by arrangement with the member of staff hosting the visit. Tours can include a look behind the scenes in one of our strongrooms and conservation studio and digitisation studio.

If your group has a specific area of interest or is part of a funded project, then talk to a member of our team about what we have to offer and whether we have related archives to support your group's research and whether we can tailor a talk.

If you simply want to come on your own or with a friend to find out how to use the service, why not book on to one of our monthly Getting to Know sessions which take place once a month. These sessions are designed to welcome you to the archives and break down any barriers you have to using the amazing resources that we have, including how to apply for an ARA Reader's Ticket online, what facilities we have for researching local and family history, and how to look for and request documents from our collections, whatever your research interest.

Find a Getting to Know session.

Arranging a Visit

Requests and arrangements should be made by email in advance, or you can contact our team to talk through what your group would like to see.

Contact us to plan a visit.

Talks

General talks on the work of Lancashire Archives may be given to particular groups or organisations on site at Lancashire Archives, in Libraries around Lancashire or at your venues.

Our team can deliver talks on:

• Treasures from the Archives – a look at some of our incredible collections and records
• Looking after the Archives – a look at how we preserve our collections through the work of our Conservation Team
• Your Town, Your Archives – a snapshot of the records we care for that relate to where you live
• Who do you think we are? – an introduction to Lancashire Archives for family and local history groups
• A Guide to … - an introduction to a specific type of record or collection for researching family and local history
• Outing the Past – a look at some of the archives relating to the history of our LGBTQ+ communities

We also offer talks that are accessible to members of our community who are visually impaired.

Lancashire Archives is also an incredible treasure trove of stories that can provide inspiration for your creative writing or art group. Also why not ask us to join your local craft group or knit and natter group to talk about the archives while you get creative!

We can attend outside events in the evening or at weekends by arrangement.

Contact us to discuss a talk with a member of the team.

We also have events and talks that take place throughout the year that you may be interested in, please check our Events at Lancashire Archives pages for more information.

Use of archives by the Media

Television companies and local news media seeking to use the archives or facilities at Lancashire Archives should contact us regarding our media access policy.