Burgess Archive
As art is a mirror of oneself and oneself is one’s life, so it is right to want to know about the life. – Anthony Burgess
- Burgess Archive
- What's in the archive?
- Visiting the Archive
- Policies and regulations
- Object of the Week
- Contact the Archivist
Visiting the Archive:
Visiting us
The International Anthony Burgess Foundation is committed to making its archive available to as broad a range of users as possible.
We are looking forward to re-opening our reading room in September 2025.
Visits to the reading room are by appointment only.
The normal opening times are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Half-day visits (10:00 until 12:30, or 1:00 until 4:00) are available if you would prefer to book a morning or afternoon session.
To get in touch with our Archivist to make an appointment, please go to our Contact page.
Limited spaces are available, and we ask you to book an appointment and request the material you’d like to consult at least ten working days before your visit.
An online catalogue to much of our archive is available on the Archives Hub, and a catalogue to our library is available on Jisc Library Hub Discover. The Archivist is able to provide further information about our holdings.
You might have an academic interest in Anthony Burgess and his work. You may be an enthusiast, carrying out your own research. You are welcome to contact the Archivist to arrange a visit to our reading room in central Manchester.
The reading room is situated on a mezzanine, which is accessible via a spiral staircase. A lift is available from our ground floor. This lift is located in an events space: if you will require use of the lift during your visit, please let our Archivist know when making your appointment.
The reading room is equipped with power sockets for visitors to use their own laptops. We have free Wi-Fi.
Lockers are provided on the ground-floor for all coats, bags, etc.
The archive contains unique and irreplaceable material, which has been placed in the Burgess Foundation’s care. All those using the archive have a part to play in helping us to safeguard the collection, and to ensure that it is preserved for the benefit of future generations. For this reason, we ask all those visiting the reading room to register as archive users and to observe our reading room regulations and handling guidelines. A copy of these documents will be shared with you in advance of your visit to the archive.
Staff will be on hand throughout your visit to assist with any questions you might have.
We’re also continually developing ways to engage with the archive remotely, including learning resources, online exhibitions, podcasts and blogs. Please keep an eye on our website or follow us on social media for other updates and news.