Online catalogues
A retrospective programme of cataloguing is underway to make descriptions of the Society's archives available online. The online archive catalogue is updated on a monthly basis.
The Royal Society together with its partners in the Web of Science History Project has contributed a number of catalogues to A2A, the English strand of the UK archives network. Search for the Royal Society in the Location of Archives field to view the full list.
Archive card catalogue
This remains the main finding aid for the archive collection and is indexed by personal name.
Source Guides
See an overview of some of the highlights of our collection, organised by subject guide for easy browsing.
Published finding aids
A Guide to the Archives and Manuscripts of the Royal Society by Keith Moore and Mary Sampson (The Royal Society, 1995)
The Royal Society: some account of the Classified Papers in the archives with an index of authors by A H Church (Oxford, 1907)
The Royal Society: some account of the Letters and Papers of the period 1741-1806 in the archives with an index of authors by A H Church (Oxford, 1908)
Letters and Papers of Sir John Herschel: A Guide to the Manuscripts and Microfilms by M Crowe (UPA, 1990). Microfilm available for purchase from University Publications of America.
A catalogue of the civil and mechanical engineering designs 1741-1792 of John Smeaton FRS preserved in the Library of the Royal Society by H W Dickinson and A A Gomme, (London, 1950)
The Library and Archives of the Royal Society 1660-1990 by M B Hall (London, 1992)
'Catalogues of the miscellaneous manuscripts and manuscript letters in the possession of the Royal Society by W E Shuckard (London, 1840)
Letters and Papers of Robert Boyle: A Guide to the Manuscripts and Microfilm by M Hunter (UPA, 1992). Microfilm available for purchase from University Publications of America.
List of portraits and busts and catalogue of medals in the possession of the Royal Society (London, 1892)
The Royal Society Catalogue of Portraits compiled by N H Robinson with notes by Eric G Forbes (London 1980)