A busy start to our first Setting the Record Straight week of 2026.  We’ve been unboxed and repackaging our collection of Chamberlain’s vouchers. The vouchers are the actual bills and invoices written by those providing goods and services to the City of York Corporation, often in their own hand.

Are you considering in a career in archives or conservation, history, or are interested in what we do? Then why not apply to volunteer with us! We are looking for volunteers to work on a project to clean and re-package some of our collections  #volunteer #archives #york

Our current Explore York Images site will shut down on the 2 February 2026. After this date it will not be possible to view or purchase images from the site.  A new site will launch in Spring 2026 as part of an upgrade to our systems. We apologise for any inconvenience this downtime may cause.

Next week the reading room will be closed as part of our Setting the Record Straight project. To find out more about setting the record straight and upcoming closure dates take a look at the dedicated page on our website below. https://exploreyork.org.uk/archives/setting-the-record-straight/

Members of Layerthorpe Adult School pictured at Easingwold, 1907. This school was on Redeness Street and was newly built in 1904. Its first stones were laid on top of a bottle containing coins of the realm and newspapers from the day. #york #archives #education

We are delighted to annouce that @yorkfhs.bsky.social are now at York Explore! Every Monday 10am-4pm in the Family History Room, first floor York Explore.  Always wanted to discover your family history but didn’t know where to start?  Having challenges with your research and need further advice?

A battle with the elements from our archive collections shows an electric tram fighting through a snow storm c.1932.  Not a commute for the faint hearted😰❄️.  #snow #york #archives

It is Christmas Eve!!🎅 Behind today’s door, as an early present, we have four blocks showcasing the most prominent fixture of the York landscape, the Minster. Those with keen eyes may notice a few familiar faces from previous tiles in the minster decorations.  #ArchiveAdventCalendar #ChristmasEve

23❄️ Only two more sleeps until the big day Behind today’s door we have another duo of blocks that take us back to Rowntree park and its many spaces for activities and sport #ArchiveAdventCalendar #archives #Christmas #York

22⛄📅 Today’s #ArchiveAdventCalendar features a staple of Christmas across the UK, the Pantomime with a very well-known character to audiences in York.  “The long tradition of pantomime is alive and kicking in York, with Berwick Kaler as the famous Dame” – Emily Harvey. #archive #york #christmas

21🎄 We have a double day in our #ArchiveAdventCalendar. We are exploring a broad span of time when looking at the features in York’s landscape in these blocks. We have the rivers of York, the Ouse and Foss, markets and their history in the city, and a more recent addition, the Millenium Bridge.

20🎅 Today’s #ArchiveAdventCalendar block takes us to Rowntree Park and memories of swimming in the city.  “There used to be a lot of places to swim; people have happy memories of swimming in the open air in Rowntree Park. (cont)

Left everything a bit late? Don't fret as you can still purchase some of our archive inspired Christmas cards and help conserve York’s archive collections. ⛄✉️ A pack of five cards are availble for £6 and each purchase will support the preservation of York’s history #supportexplore #york #archives

19🎄 Today's block is inspired by York’s many varied and wonderful buskers and street performers. 🤹🎤 “I dressed the tightrope walker in a traditional harlequin costume – he would be recognised by people living in York in 1600 as well as today...” – Emily Harvey.  #ArchiveAdventCalendar #archives

18⛄📅 Only one week until Christmas!!🎄 It is a bit of a Nightmare Before Christmas vibe behind today’s #ArchiveAdventCalendar door.  This block displays York’s historic connection with the supernatural #archives #york #christmas #spooky

17🎄❄️ Today we have two blocks for you! They celebrate York’s pubs, live music, and dancing.  Emily Harvey noted her inspiration for both panels: 1 – “About the first block York has loads of pubs, each with their own character, history, special beers, and entertainment.” #ArchiveAdventCalendar

Today's @arascot.bsky.social  #ArchiveAdventCalendar theme is #bells. So we are sharing this image of the historic bells of St. Olave's Church in Marygate, taken c.1900 The bells were originally cast in 1789.🔔 #york #archives #christmas

16📅🎄 Today we have education and learning as the featured theme in our panorama panel.  "This block shows children learning to read – the angel and the girl are from a stained glass window in All Saints Church in North Street (an angel teaching the Virgin Mary to read)... #ArchiveAdventCalendar

You can help conserve York’s archives this Christmas! We are selling our archive inspired Christmas Cards. The designs are inspired by collections of the Knowles Family papers in the archives. A pack of five cards are availble for £6. The cards are availble this week in most Explore locations

Door 15⛄❄️ Today's Panorama panel celebrates York's relationship with chocolate.  Artist and creator Emily Harvey: "Terrys, Rowntrees and now Nestles factories were/are all important for York. These were Quaker businesses and Joseph Rowntree has been a major influence in York... #Archives #York

14🎄📅 Today’s #ArchiveAdventCalendar takes us back to the walls of #York, one of many spots in the city popular with tourists.  #Archives #Christmas

To follow on from our #archiveadventcalendar we have an image of the famous street from c.1895. A horse and cart making a delivery on the Shambles. This was the 'street of the butchers' and it is easy to see why from this picture, as at least four butchers shops are visible.  #archives #york

13❄️📅 Behind today’s door we have the Panorama’s tribute to the Shambles. You may not recognise it with how empty the street is, especially at this time of the year with the Christmas bustle.  #York #ArchiveAdventCalendar #archives #Christmas #Shambles

Day 12 of our #ArchiveAdventCalendar 🎅🗓️ Today we are back at York Station and adding in some theatre 🚂🎭 Creator, Emily Harvey, describes this tile : "As well as the station this block shows a scene from the Railway Children – a community production by the Theatre Royal at the Railway Museum."

Following on from our York Panorama advent calendar image this morning we are have some images of costume designs for the Mystery Plays from the 1960's.  Which design is your favourite? Archive ref - YMP/2  #archives #costumes #art #york #ArchivesAdventCalendar #MysteryPlays

11🎄📅 Today we have the Mystery Plays. The York Mystery Plays are a cycle of 48 pageants or individual plays covering biblical events from Creation to The Last Judgement. Originally they were performed in York from the middle of the 14th C. until 1569. #ArchiveAdventCalendar #christmas #archives

It is day 10 of our advent calendar celebrating 10 years of our York Panorama artwork.  already!  Today we have our stargazing slab🔭🌟 The astronomers are looking at the constellations featured in day 3 of our calendar.  #archives #archiveadventcalendar #york #christmas

It is #NationalChristmasCardDay today and what better what better way to celebrate the day than by getting some of our archive inspired Christmas cards ⛄✉️.

9 ⛄📅 This block celebrates the skilled workers of York's Carriage Works. The Carriage Works opened in 1884, at one point employing over 3000 people, before its closure in 1996. #archivesadventcalendar #archives #york #christmas #railways

8🎄📅 Today we have Clifford's tower illuminated by the fireworks show we saw behind door 6🎆. #archiveadventcalendar #archives #york #christmas

This image explores the theme of #EYAYourArchives as it highlights York history as well as the wider history of Britian. It explores the celebrations for Queen Victorias Diamond Jubilee and the coming together of the community, through either teas or galas.  #exploreyourarchive #archives #york

Day 7🎅🗓️ Today, transport along the River Ouse features prominently in what our participants considered important to them, and to York's history and heritage. #archives #york #archiveadventcalendar #christmas

This image was an entry as part of the “Snap your street” collection from 1998, which was a collection of images from York’s recent history. The image itself is from the 1984 York Minster fire, with this year marking the 41st #EYAAnniversaries of the fire.  #archives #york #yorkminster

6🎄📅 Behind today's door we have a lovely depiciton of the fireworks in the night sky on bonfire night.  #york #archives #adventcalendar #christmas

Tomorrow! To celebrate Explore Your Archive week we will be hosting an exhibition of all things Clifton. We will be showcasing records offering an insight into life in Clifton and the stories of its people through the years. 📅Saturday 6th December  🕰️10:00am-12:30pm & 1:00-3:30pm 📍Clifton Explore.

Next week the reading room will be closed as part of our Setting the Record Straight project. To find out more about setting the record straight and upcoming closure dates take a look at the dedicated page on our website below. https://exploreyork.org.uk/archives/setting-the-record-straight/

Day 5❄️ 🗓️ Today we have the York Walls represented, with a bird flying in a (rare) blue sky above the city and some hidden designs and tasty treats in the bricks of the wall.  #Archives #York #Christmas #ArchiveAdventCalendar

Check out our Explore newsletter for December and find out more about what our team have been upto recently. shorturl.at/v9nSi

4🎄📅 Behind door number four we have images of the Panorama being created. Highlighting some of the artistic methods used by the wonderful artist, Emily Harvey, who created the panorama co-creatively with York residents.  #archives #york #art #christmas #adventcalendar

You can help conserve York’s archives this Christmas! We are selling our archive inspired Christmas Cards. The designs are inspired by collections of the Knowles Family papers in the archives. A pack of five cards are availble for £6. The cards are availble this week in most Explore locations

3🎄📅 Today we are also celebrating the #ExploreYourArchive theme of #EYAPets. This panorama tile features a design inspired by observations over York of the astronomers John Goodricke, Nathaniel Piggott and Edward Piggott. (archive ref: GPP) #archives #York #Christmas #adventcalendar

Day 2 📅🎄 Behind door number two of our York Panorama advent calendar shows two iconic features of York's landscape, the railway station and Holgate windmill.  #archives #york #adventcalendar #christmas

This is the remains of a Norman house, the oldest domestic building in York being believed to be built c.1170, found near Stonegate in the 1960's.  Where the house is was going to be used for a sub station for North Eastern Electric but was saved and restored by the Ministry of Public Buildings.

It is day one of our archives advent calendar! 🎄📅 We will be sharing images from our amazing York Panorama: What York means to us artwork, which celebrated its 10th birthday this year.  #archvies #york #christmas #adventcalendar  Today you we are sharing with you a depiction of Ouse Bridge.

For this weeks EYA Focus Theme 'Beauty', this image of the beautiful York Minster showcases the special kind of beauty it has to offer, one that isn't loud or fleeting, but that rises slowly out of history and stands resilient through centuries.  #EYABeauty #YorkMinster #BeautyInArchitecture

Our annual Disability Arts Exhibition for #YorkDisabilityWeek25, will be running from Friday 28th November - Sunday 30th November. Join us from 10:30am-12pm on Friday as one of our archivists will be on hand to answer questions about the collections that inspired our Disability arts exhibition!

To celebrate Explore Your Archive week we will be hosting an exhibition of all things Clifton. We will be showcasing records offering an insight into life in Clifton and the stories of its people through the years. 📅Saturday 6th December  🕰️10:00am-12:30pm & 1:00-3:30pm 📍Clifton Explore.

You can help conserve York’s archives this Christmas! We are selling our archive inspired Christmas Cards. The designs are inspired by collections of the Knowles Family papers in the archives. A pack of five cards are availble for £6. The cards are availble this week in most Explore locations

Interested in Local History?  Joining a Local History Group is a great way to get to know people and learn about your local area.  You can find contact details for the local history groups in York on our website on the link below. #Archives #LocalHistory #York https://shorturl.at/TVcTt

An exciting day in our reading room yesterday as we had some filming going on! 🎥🎬 It was great to see some of our collections get the star treatment⭐. We can’t wait to share the end result with you in the New Year, so watch this space!👀 #archives #york #exploreyourarchive #filming