RCA Special Collections is located on the top floor of the Library in the Common Room Block of the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2EU. Visitors should report to the reception of the Darwin Building, Jay Mews entrance.

The department is open all year round to all bona fide researchers, but access to the collections is by appointment only.

To book an appointment, please e-mail special-collections@rca.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7590 4234. (Our online booking system is temporarily unavailable.)

Appointments are available Monday to Friday between 11.00 and 1.30pm, and again between 3.00 and 5.00pm. As our collections are relatively small, an appointment of between 1 and 2.5 hours will usually suffice, but a series of bookings, or a consecutive morning and afternoon appointment, may be made for more in-depth research. If you wish to see only one or two items, or if you would just like a general introduction to a particular collection, a one-hour appointment should be sufficient.

As reading room space is limited, only one party at a time may be accommodated, although group visits are possible.

On arrival, you will need to show a form of identification (e.g. bank card, passport) and sign a disclaimer form regarding copyright and handling regulations. Bags must be deposited in lockers.

Digital cameras are permitted and photographs (no flash) may be taken for the sole purpose of private study (no further reproduction permitted) on completion of the appropriate forms.

The Special Collections area is kept at a relatively low temperature and visitors are advised to ensure they are dressed for a cooler indoor environment.