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Public Access

The Museum Library at Albany House holds a unique collection covering the past, present and future of public transport in London.

Find out how transport has influenced London’s social history, its architecture, art, and design. Learn about the people, the companies and public authorities that have played their part in transport development over the last 200 years.

Search nearly 40,000 entries in our catalogue of books, pamphlets, journals, documents, special collections, Q&A and Events information.

We are open to members of the public for booked visits. There is no charge for admission. See more information about visiting below. 

If you have any questions about how we can help with your research, please contact us.

Special collections

View a full list of journals and other serials (such as statistics, directories and annual reports) in our Library catalogue. The journals collection covers all modes of transport and provides news and opinion from 1897 to the present day.

This collection contains the personal papers of Frank Pick (1878-1941). He was Managing Director of the Underground Electric Railway Companies of London Ltd (UERL) from 1928-33, and Vice Chairman of the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) from 1933-40.

Having started in information and publicity, Pick’s influence spread in the 1920s to station architecture and vehicle design. From 1933, under his direction, design was promoted as the key to creating a quality public transport system. By the time he left London Transport in 1940, Pick’s commitment to excellence had made the company name synonymous with good design.

The Frank Pick collection is managed by the Museum Library and can be viewed by appointment at the Museum Depot at Acton. Items in the Frank Pick collection are not included in our Library catalogue. Instead, please see the list of items in PDF format below.

Please note, under UK copyright law, unpublished typescript or manuscript items in the Frank Pick collection are in copyright until 2039 and cannot be copied. Published items can be copied with the permission of the librarian and within the exceptions to copyright.

A smaller collection of material by and about Frank Pick is available in the Museum Library at Albany House. Researchers often find it useful to consult this material first.

Transport for London Corporate Archives holds papers created by Frank Pick in his role at the UERL and the LPTB (see Research Guide No 12). They include items transferred from the Museum to the Corporate Archives in the 1990s.

Frank Pick sitting in front of a large notebook holding a pen

Reinohl collection

Herbert and Albert Reinohl were two brothers with a passion for public transport. During a lifetime of collecting they filled 180 albums with tickets and other material, mostly related to buses but also covering other types of public transport from the 19th century to the 1950s. Although primarily a ticket collection, it also includes illustrations, press cuttings, journal articles and other ephemera.

Further information about the Reinohl collection, the list of albums, and searchable entries for parts of the collection that have been catalogued are available in the Library catalogue.

Visiting the Library

Our visiting days are:

  • Wednesday 10:00-17:00

  • Friday 10:00-17:00

The Library is open to anyone and entry is free, but visits must be arranged in advance. To request a visit please complete our Request a Library visit form

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your research with us before requesting a visit, please contact us.  

Library location

London Transport Museum Library, Albany House, 98 Petty France, London SW1H 9EA

  • By train

    Take the District or Circle line to St James’s Park Underground station. Use the Park and Broadway exit and turn left out of the station. Albany House is a minute’s walk away.

  • By bus

    The closest bus stops are on Victoria Street.

    Bus routes: 11, 24, 148, 211.

Library visit FAQs

  • How will you keep me safe during my visit?

    We want our visitors to feel comfortable and safe.

    As the Library space is small, no more than two visitors are booked in at any time.

    If you would prefer Library staff to wear a face covering, we are very happy to: just mention it when you book your visit.

    Hand-washing facilities are available. We avoid using hand sanitisers as they can damage books.

  • What should I bring with me?

    When you visit, we will ask you to show photo identification (driving licence, passport, travel pass, student card, employee ID) and proof of address (driving licence, recent utility bill, bank statement) that matches your completed booking form.

    Lockers are available to store your belongings. No coins are needed.

    Bring a pencil to take notes (pens are not allowed) or you can use a laptop.

    Bring a digital camera or mobile phone to copy material, once agreed with the Librarian.

  • Can I photocopy or photograph items?

    Bring a digital camera or mobile phone if you wish to copy any material. You must ask Library staff for permission first as not all material can be copied.

    You will be asked to complete a copyright declaration form. It is your responsibility to be informed about whether your research and copying falls within the exceptions to copyright.

  • Is the Library accessible?

    The Library at Albany House and the research area at the Depot in Acton are both on the first floor with step-free access. Let us know if you have any access requirements when booking an appointment so we can make suitable arrangements.

Library collections at Acton

Our Library reserve collections and special collections are stored in the Museum Depot at Acton.

Visits are available once a month by appointment. Please check availability as far in advance as possible, particularly if you are making a special trip, or visiting from abroad.

We can also advise you whether an appointment to consult these collections is appropriate for your research.

For more information contact us using the form below.

Donations

If you are considering donating material to the Museum Library, please read our donations policy before you contact us.

  • Library donations policy

    Donations may only be made by prior agreement with the Library.

    Donations can only be accepted on the basis that the Library becomes the sole owner of the material and may at any point, now or in the future, select items for retention or disposal as it deems appropriate. The Library cannot accept material with caveats or restrictive conditions.

    Donated material placed in the Library collection will be available to all Library users. The Library welcomes donations of books and other materials that contribute to the enrichment of the collection but may not be able to accept every offer.

    In considering donations the Library takes into account:

    • Whether the material fills a gap in the collection
    • Physical condition of the item
    • Collection strength or weakness in the subject area
    • Availability of the material online or via other services
    • Whether material provides added value, such as a different viewpoint or context
    • Known or anticipated demand for the material
    • Space requirements and future maintenance requirements for the donation

    The Library reserves the right to dispose of donations as it sees fit by: offers to the Museum collection; offers to other libraries or archives; sale; or disposal. Items not required for our collection may be passed to the London Transport Museum Friends who sell items to raise money for the Museum.

Write to us by email or post, ensuring that you include a contact phone number. We ask potential donors to provide a list of items with as much detail as possible, including a description of their physical condition. We also need to know whether you own the items or are acting on behalf of someone else. Donors of unpublished material will be asked to provide proof of ownership and provenance.

If the donation is agreed, Library staff will make arrangements with donors for the deposit of material and a Library donation form will be completed on the day of transfer.

Contact Us

To arrange a visit, please use our Request a Library visit form.

For any other questions, please get in touch using the enquiry form below.

Required field labels are announced with '(required)' after their name.

Enquiry type
Is your enquiry about a museum visit or an event?

If you are looking to book a school visit, please select ‘Visiting, Admission and Events’ above.

For any other Schools or Learning enquiries, please use the field below.

For donations to the collection, please read our Collecting Policy before getting in touch.

For image licensing requests, please visit our Image Licensing page.

If you are enquiring about visiting, tickets or booking, please select ‘Visiting and Events’ from the drop-down above.

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