Mandatory bag checks introduced for all visitors

Starting from 29 April 2025, The National Archives is implementing new security measures to ensure the safety of our visitors, staff, and our valuable collections. As an institution that holds a significant amount of historical documents and artifacts, it is our responsibility to protect them at all costs. Therefore, we are taking proactive steps to enhance our security protocols and maintain a safe environment for everyone.

Upon entering The National Archives’ building, all visitors will be subject to bag searches conducted by our trained security staff. This may seem like an inconvenience, but it is a necessary step to ensure the safety of everyone present in the building. We kindly ask for your cooperation and understanding as we work towards providing a secure environment for everyone.

The new security measures are in line with our commitment to protect our collections from potential threats. These threats not only include theft and vandalism but also the possibility of harm to our visitors and staff. By conducting bag searches, we can prevent prohibited items from entering our building, and this will also act as a deterrent to anyone with malicious intentions.

We would like to remind our visitors that prohibited items in our building remain the same and include weapons of any kind, unidentified substances, and any other potentially dangerous items. These items pose a significant risk to the safety of everyone in the building and are strictly prohibited. We hope that by carrying out thorough bag searches, we can prevent any harm from coming to our visitors and staff.

The National Archives is dedicated to providing a safe and secure environment for all our visitors. We understand that bag searches may cause slight delays, but we assure you that our security staff will work diligently to keep the process as smooth as possible. We also encourage our visitors to plan accordingly and arrive at the building a bit earlier to avoid any inconvenience.

Our new security measures are not limited to bag searches. We are also investing in state-of-the-art security equipment, such as metal detectors and x-ray machines, to enhance our screening process. These advanced technologies will enable our security staff to identify any prohibited items more efficiently and ensure a safer environment for everyone.

We would like to assure our visitors that their personal belongings will be treated with utmost care and privacy during the bag search process. Our security staff is trained to respect the privacy of our visitors while still carrying out necessary security procedures. We also assure you that your personal information will remain confidential, and any information collected during the search will be used for security purposes only.

At The National Archives, we take the safety and security of our visitors and staff very seriously. These new security measures are a reflection of our commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. We understand that these measures may cause some inconvenience, but we believe that the safety of our visitors and the protection of our valuable collections should be our top priority.

We would like to thank all our visitors for their cooperation and understanding as we implement these new security measures. We hope that these measures will provide peace of mind knowing that your safety is our utmost concern. We look forward to welcoming you to The National Archives and providing you with a memorable and secure visit.

In conclusion, The National Archives is dedicated to preserving and protecting our valuable collections, and these new security measures are a step towards achieving that. We assure our visitors that the security of our building will not compromise their overall experience. We believe that these measures will only enhance the safety and security of our institution, and we look forward to your continued support and cooperation. Thank you.