With our expert Archive Team on hand, discover PHM's incredible collection of political archive material.
Delve into this internationally significant collection, which includes items of national importance from the last 250 years of British social and political history. The archive is home to the complete holdings of the national Labour Party and Communist Party of Great Britain, archives of working class organisations, personal papers of radical politicians, writers and activists, and over 95,000 photographs relating to the growth of democracy in Britain. Archive material covers not only parliamentary reform, extension of the vote and general elections, but grassroots organisations and campaigns also.
Learn how the collection continues to grow today, and how it is used by communities, researchers and individuals to explore the social and political stories of the past, present, and for the future.
You can search the archive’s catalogues, including the Labour Party archive and the Communist Party of Great Britain archive via The National Archives:
Search PHM’s archive catalogues
The archive collections complement archive material, objects, photographs and banners on display in the museum’s galleries, which are also explored through PHM’s public programme of events and exhibitions.
22 January 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the first ever Labour government taking office. To mark this historic moment, the museum team have selected a number of objects reflecting the stories and milestones of the last century.
Explore
Including pamphlets, newspapers and photographs, as well as the archives of political parties and leftwing pressure groups, the archive collects the personal papers of radical politicians, writers and activists.
Archive research guides
Are you more independent or community-focused? Experimental or measured? Prefer work or play?
Take our quick quiz to find out which radical you are! At the end we’ll offer you access to our free e-newsletter which matches your interests to what’s on at PHM.
