Answering the call of the past

We’ve been with Britain from the Industrial Revolution, through to the smartphone revolution. These archives tell our story. Our story begins in 1846 with the world’s first telegraph company and continues with BT Group today.

Selection of colourful dial telephones

Explore our collection

Find out about our various collections by searching our online catalogue. Our catalogue also contains some digitised material of almost half a million photographs, reports and items of correspondence preserved by BT Group Archives.

Search our catalogue
Liverpool Trunk Exchange cable chamber

Major collections

Highlights and key collections held in our Archive.

Our key collections

Visiting us

The Archives is open to pre-booked appointments to visitors to consult archival material on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00-16:00.

Please book your visit via the booking form.

Contact archives@bt.com if you need any help or have any questions about your booking.

Location details can be found below.

Note that we sometimes need to schedule closures on certain dates.

Searchroom user guide

Photography and Re-use information

BT Group Archives
Third Floor
Holborn Telephone Exchange
268-270 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7EE

Contact us

Get directions

British Rail: City Thameslink (Holborn Viaduct entrance)

Underground: Holborn (Piccadilly and Central Lines), Chancery Lane(Central line) or Farringdon (Circle or District Lines)

Bus routes: (High Holborn) 8, 242, 25, 501, 521 (Holborn Kingsway) 1, 68, 91, 168, 171, 188, 501, 505, 521, X68

By car: NCP Car Parks at: Holborn, Museum St WC1; Brunswick Square WC1; Russell Court, Woburn Place WC1; Caxton House, Cowcross St, EC1; Cardinal House, Cowcross St, EC1; Bloomsbury Square Car Park, WC1 

Our heritage policies

Our Collections Management Guidance explains how we manage, preserve, and provide access to our archive collections. 

Significance of our archives

The National Archives has accredited BT Group Archives as meeting national archives standards. Our collections are acknowledged by UNESCO and Arts Council England as being internationally significant and an important part of the UK’s cultural and scientific heritage. 

Archive Service Accreditation

Archive Service Accreditation

Arts Council England Designation Scheme

Arts Council England Designation Scheme

Unesco - UK Memory of the World Register

UK Memory of the World Register