Plan a research visit
Find out everything you need to know about our library and archive facilities before your visit.
Research and archive
Search Engine is open Wednesday to Saturday 10.00-16.30.
On Wednesdays, we are open for books (including our children’s book area), journals, microfilm, films and PC access. Access to our archives is available Thursday to Saturday. Find out more on our Plan a Research Visit page.
We recommend booking your museum admission in advance to save time on arrival.
You will need an admission ticket to enter the museum.
Our copying service has now fully reopened. Please find further details on our copying and research services page.
Whatever you're interested in, from engineering and industry to the social history of railways, our research and archive facilities are here to help.
If you're looking for more information about a particular area of railway history and engineering, Search Engine is the place for you.
Science Museum Group Journal
The Science Museum Group Journal presents the global research community with peer-reviewed papers relevant to the wide-ranging work of the Science Museum Group. The journal freely shares the research of the Group's museums, including the National Railway Museum.
