– What’s behind the closed doors? Explore behind the scenes at the University Archives and Special Collections. The tour will include the strongrooms and Conservation studio. There will also be a tour of our exhibition called Earth, Sea, and Sky.
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What’s behind the closed doors? Explore behind the scenes at the University Archives and Special Collections. The tour will include the strongrooms and Conservation studio. There will also be a tour of our exhibition called Earth, Sea, and Sky.
This hour-long session at the University of Southampton Archives and Special Collections will include a guided “behind the scenes” tour of the department to our specialist storage area and Conservation studio with time to explore our Earth, Sea and Sky exhibition. Our exhibition features material of a number of ‘citizen scientists’ such as Revd Gilbert White whose work is said to have a profound influence on that of Charles Darwin. You can enjoy the development of nautical charts, the result of expeditions such as those to the Arctic in the 1820s as recorded by William Mogg. You will also have a glimpse of the deep and maritime archaeology in action as we look at the excavation of the Punic ship in Marsala, in which Honor Frost played a significant role. We will be providing curator talks for the exhibition and there will be a self-guided treasure hunt!
Timings: Monday 14 September: 1100-1200 | Tuesday 15 September: 1100-1200, 1400-1500
Directions: We are situated on Level 4 of the Hartley Library but we’ll meet you at the Library main reception.
Contact on day: Karen Robson (+442380592721)
Booking information: Pre-booking required
Please email archives@soton.ac.uk to book a place, stating your name and which Heritage Open Day Archives and Special Collections tour you would like to attend out of Monday 14 September, 11am-12pm; Tuesday 15 September, 11am-12pm or Tuesday 15 September, 2pm-3pm.
If you are booking for more than one person, please state the names of all people you are booking for. We will send you a booking confirmation, followed by joining instructions closer to the date of your tour.
Booking contact name: University of Southampton Archives and Special Collections Team
Booking telephone number:+442380592721 | Booking email: archives@soton.ac.uk
Booking closes on 06 Sep 2026 at 05:00 PM