London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre

Beginning on Aug 5, 2011, are weekly openings of the London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC) – Europe’s largest archaeological archive, housing records relating to 8,500 excavations in London made since the 1830s. Visitors can wander the ten kilometres of shelving and discover some of the archaeological treasures that have not yet made it into the Museum of London’s galleries. Objects range from items dating from the earliest Prehistoric occupation of London to an excavated 1950s plastic bucket. As well as tours of the store, visitors also have access to areas where objects are cleaned and sorted. There’s also an opportunity to handle objects and visit the glass and ceramic store. Visits, which take place every Fri and on the first and third Sat of the month, must be booked in advance.