We can provide talks to groups about the Royal Berkshire Archives with an emphasis on family or local history research. We can also offer talks on other subjects of interest, such as Reading prison or the River Thames, on request.

We can arrange for small groups to have a tour of the RBA. This is an opportunity to learn at first-hand how the office works.

The visit may include an introductory welcome, an exhibition of original documents and a behind-the-scenes tour. Please discuss your requirements with the member of staff who is hosting the visit.

The minimum size of group that can be accepted is 10, the maximum 30, depending on staff availability and the nature of the visit.

We ask for a minimum donation of £80 for our talks and tours which will go into our Documents Purchase Fund to enable us to purchase documents that could otherwise disappear from Berkshire’s history.

Please note that due to demand and staff availability, visits usually need to be booked several months in advance.

We regret that we are unable to arrange more than one talk or visit for any one group per year.