The Philip Richardson Library

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

Due to the COVID-19 situation, the Philip Richardson Library and Archives will be closed From 9 May until further notice.
Phones and emails are not being monitored.

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.