Special Collections

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Welcome to Special Collections, SOAS Library

One of the leading UK collections of archives, manuscripts and rare books on Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

We make available over 3 kilometres of archives, 60,000 rare books, and manuscripts in over 140 languages to students and researchers globally.

How to book a visit, our opening times, and where to find us.

Find out more about our collections, which reflect the British interaction with Africa and Asia over the last 250 years.

Catalogues to help you locate the Special Collections material you may wish to use.

Helping researchers explore our archives and manuscript collections by particular regions, subjects or themes.

Opening SOAS Library's extraordinary collections to users around the world for learning, teaching and research.

Browse our past blog posts

This page's featured image is a world map from an Ottoman book of maps, housed in SOAS Special Collections.