Look behind the scenes

Discover how we bring the archive to life by collecting, preserving and restoring film.

An employee examines film frames at the BFI National Archive

Our collections

Introduction to the BFI collections

The films in our collections are a fascinating record of the history, culture and art of filmmaking and TV production, as well as a document of daily life in the UK from the late 19th century to today.

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Care of the collections

Film in all of its forms presents real challenges for the archivist. Here’s some information about how we look after it.

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A closer look at the archive

Meet the team

Meet the specialist teams who care for the BFI National Archive collection.

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BFI National Archive FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the BFI National Archive and access to our collections.

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Archive projects

Britain on Lockdown – online video archive

Britain on Lockdown calls on the British public to recommend the online videos that best represent how Britain has experienced the impact of Coronavirus.

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BFI Most Wanted

The hunt for Britain’s missing films.

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Your Britain on Film

British lives, caught on film and collected online. Discover previously unseen film capturing 120 years of Britain on film.

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