Visiting Us

On your first visit to the Archives and Local Studies we ask you to register as a user and follow some brief guidelines in order to explore the many records we look after.

This is to help us keep the unique documents secure and safe. We ask that you bring along two forms of identification, one of which must include your name and address: a driving licence, passport, bank card, council tax or other bill, for example. We will then issue you with a membership card which is valid for three years. If you do not have the correct identification on your first visit you can still enter as a 'guest' for the day.

Customers are encouraged to book in advance to view documents and use resources by emailing archives@barnsley.gov.uk or telephoning 01226 773950 (during opening hours). Booking is recommended for accessing microform resources and the digital version of the Barnsley Chronicle.

We hope that you will enjoy your visit and find out something new about the Barnsley borough.

Opening hours

Monday Closed

Tuesday 9:30am-12.45pm & 1.30pm-6pm*

Wednesday 9:30am-12.45pm & 1.30pm-4:30pm

Thursday 9:30am-12.45pm & 1.30pm-4:30pm

Friday Closed

Saturday Closed

Sunday Closed

*Please note: if arriving after 5pm on Tuesdays you may need to press the door buzzer and wait for entry into the Town Hall.

Changes to opening hours

We will be closed from Monday 28th October 2024 until Friday 8th November 2024. During this time, we will be undertaking exciting projects which will enable us to make even more of our collections accessible. We will reopen on Tuesday 12th November and resume our usual opening hours. As our team will be focused on our collection work during this period, we will be answering all queries from Monday 11th November onwards. We appreciate your continued support and patience.

During the closure period, for access to family history resources such as FindMyPast or Ancestry, please visit your local library https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/libraries/find-a-library/