The Philip Richardson Library

The Philip Richardson Library houses one of the largest specialist dance collections in the UK. Under normal circumstances, we welcome visitors from around the world as well as Royal Academy of Dance members, students and staff.

Following Government guidance, the Library & Archive is currently closed to all customers.  We cannot undertake requests for material from the archives and special collections as these are now closed until September 2021 in preparation for the move to Royal Academy of Dance’s new premises. Our library remote enquiry service is operating as usual and extracts from published books and journals may be provided through scanning where possible. Staff have limited access to the library and collections so there may be some delay in fulfilling enquiries. Your patience is appreciated.

See below for more information on our services.

The open access collections include books, journals, CDs, DVDs, conference proceedings, resource packs, exhibition and auction catalogues and Benesh Movement Notation Scores. The dance collection is supplemented by resources in the related fields of pedagogy, music, anatomy and physiology.

Materials in the archives and special collections include rare books, theatre programmes, photographs, costume designs, pictures and artefacts, as well as audio-visual materials and paper-based documents and correspondence.