Who can access the public records?
Tate Public Records can be accessed by everyone aged 18 or over.
Tate is a designated ‘Public Record body’ and ‘place of deposit’ under the Public Records Act 1958, you are able to come and consult the records on request which have been selected for permanent retention and placed on deposit at Tate on behalf of the nation.
How are the public records accessed?
All visits require advanced appointments. Details about our opening hours, making appointments, registration and requesting items are on the Library & Archive Reading Rooms page. To make access arrangements for those aged under 18, please contact reading.rooms@tate.org.uk.
To find out if we hold any records which are linked to your area of research, you can search the Public Records catalogue - some hints and tips about searching are available below.
When you send us a list of records, please include the file reference number on the left had side of the screen and the title of the file.
Note that most files in the Collection file series (TG4) have to be sensitivity checked regarding personal data, as many of these files were placed on deposit before the Data Protection Act was in force. We ask that you allow 10 working days for most files in this series to be processed, if there is a note to this effect on the catalogue.
Search the Public Records via the catalogue
You can search the Public Records online via the Tate Archive and Public Records catalogue for specific information if you know what you are looking for, by typing the precise keywords for your search in the ‘any text’ field.
By narrowing your search as far as possible, you will be able to search the catalogue more quickly. If you just type in the name of a well-known artist such as ‘Constable’ or ‘Turner’ you will retrieve hundreds of references.
An overview of the historical public records collection on the catalogue is also available.
If you are already on the Home Page of the Archive and Public Records catalogue, you can select ‘List Tate Public Records’.
You will see a full list of each category of records (file series) at a high level e.g. TG 4, TG 16, TG 10, etc.
- To obtain a short description of each series click on an individual file series reference e.g. TG 22 – Education.
- To see files in a particular file series, return to the complete list of file series and click on a file series reference, e.g TG 22
- To see the list of files in a series, click on the series reference number, e.g. TG 22/1
- To see the full reference of file, click on the relevant reference number, e.g. TG 22/1/1
Recent records
Information too recent to be listed in our catalogue can be requested under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act. These records have to be reviewed carefully before they are released into the public domain and so you should allow up to 20 days to receive a reply.
Once you have heard that we hold information which can be made available to you, you should book a place in the Archive Reading Room.
Contact
For enquiries or requests:
Email gallery.records@tate.org.uk
Call +44 (0)20 7887 8838
Fax +44 (0)020 7887 3952
Gallery Records
Tate Britain
Millbank
London SW1P 4RG
United Kingdom
