Local History Research

Please send us an at ebcmuseum@elmbridge.gov.uk and we will be happy to advise how we can help.

If you would like to visit the Local Studies Service to view materials in person, please contact us to book an appointment. A request to access Elmbridge Museum collections must be made well in advance of the anticipated start date as Museum items may be stored off-site in other areas of the Borough.

Requests from researchers should outline the subject and purpose of their research, and state the date or dates on which they wish to conduct research.

Researchers must provide a telephone number and email address so they may be contacted at short notice if necessary.

Access to Elmbridge Museum Local Studies Service is by appointment on Wednesdays between 10am and 5pm. Please email us at ebcmuseum@elmbridge.gov.uk to organise a visit.

Appointments outside of these hours may be made at the discretion of the museum team.

Upon arrival at Esher Civic Centre researchers should report to Reception and will then be met by a member of the Museum team.

If you expect to be delayed please let us know as soon as possible.

The Museum does have lockers for visitor’s use so that personal property including coats, pens, folders, cases, bags, brief cases, and purses etc should be kept to a minimum in the research room.

Laptops and handheld audio recorders may be used to take notes. The use of other electronic equipment including mobile phones, cameras and personal copiers will be by prior permission of the Museum Staff.

Only materials needed for research, including pencils, paper and research notes, should be kept with you on the research room worktable.

Any personal property used within the Local Studies Area or collections storage areas may be subject to inspection upon leaving.

Researchers are required to handle all materials with care, and to follow instructions regarding handling of objects given by staff.

Researchers will be asked to wear white cotton gloves when handling certain materials. These will be supplied by Elmbridge Museum.

The physical condition of certain objects may limit access to, or the handling of, fragile objects.

No food or drink may be taken into or consumed in the Local Studies Area or collections storage areas.

No marks, alterations or erasures are to be made to any materials in the Museum. Only pencil may be used for note taking when working near artefacts and objects.

All objects and materials must remain flat or resting on the surface of the table, or be supported with the supports provided.

Any questions should be referred to the staff member on duty.

Permission to consult materials does not convey the right to reproduce or publish.

Materials provided from the collections of Elmbridge Museum are provided for reference only.

Permission may be granted in certain circumstances for researchers to take photographs of objects in the Museum collections for research purposes only. Permission to take photographs for research purposes does not convey the right to reproduce or publish such images.

Extensive quotation, copying for research purposes, the reproduction or publication of art works, photographs, manuscripts, and other images from Elmbridge Museum collections requires copyright permission from the Museum Manager, or Collections Officer, and possibly payment of a fee to Elmbridge Museum.

Elmbridge Museum may request a complimentary copy of the completed work or any publication or catalogue relying on or referring to its collections.

Researchers’ publications serve as a resource for staff, students and other visiting researchers, and are also an important means of documenting the significance and use of the collections.

When citing materials from Elmbridge Museum, citation should follow this format:

identification of item, item accession number, Courtesy of Elmbridge Museum, Elmbridge Borough Council.

If you wish to reproduce images from Elmbridge Museum for personal use and publication (website/social media/books) please email us at ebcmuseum@elmbridge.gov.uk