How to research our collections

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The collections of the National Army Museum are an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to undertake research into the history of the British Army, former imperial forces (including the armies of the Indian Empire), and the people who have served in those armies.

To find out if the Museum holds any items relevant to your research, start by searching our Online Inventory. Items that have been digitised will have a clickable link through to our Online Collection, which contains images and more detailed information.

We have produced a series of 'how-to' videos to help you get the most out of these online research tools.

If you'd like to find out more, or view any items not yet digitised, please email info@nam.ac.uk for further advice.

Templer Study Centre

Archives, photographs, books and periodicals can be viewed by visiting the Templer Study Centre. This is the National Army Museum's on-site study and research facility, and is currently open by appointment only (Tuesday to Friday, 10.00am to 4.30pm) to holders of a reader's card.

If you do not hold a current reader's card, you will need to register for one on your first visit. Scan your photographic ID and proof of address documents and email them prior to your visit, and then bring those same documents with you for verification.

Find out more about registering for a free reader's card and accessing collections at the Templer Study Centre.

Collections Centre

Items that cannot be viewed at the Templer Study Centre are stored at the Museum’s Collections Centre in Stevenage. Access to these items is free, but by prior appointment only.

Access is currently restricted to Monday to Thursday, 10.00am to 12.30pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm.

If you would like to access material held in our stores, please email info@nam.ac.uk to arrange a viewing. Requests must be made at least ten working days in advance and will be accommodated subject to availability.

Find out more about accessing stored collections at the Collections Centre.

How to submit an enquiry

If you have read through the above advice and haven’t found an answer to your question, you can submit an enquiry through our contact form, by sending an email to info@nam.ac.uk, or by writing to:

Collections Enquiries
National Army Museum
Royal Hospital Road
London SW3 4HT

The National Army Museum does not have the capacity to respond to individual enquiries that are not directly related to the Museum’s collections. We continue to encourage enquirers to book to see our library and archive collections through the Templer Study Centre in Chelsea, or for our other collection types at our Collections Centre in Stevenage.