London Photo Gallery - Art Exhibitions & Special Events

Guildhall Library 600 Anniversary Exhibition (November 2025)

The original Guildhall library was founded in 1425 with the support of a "rich and pious merchant" Richard Whittington. We don't know what this library had inside, but it is believed it was mostly theological material as common with libraries of the time.

In 1824, the city started looking into a library that would be funded out of the Privy Purse, opening in 1828 for members with about 1700 items. It expanded and by 1873, the library moved to a new building with about 60,000 items covering the cit's history, architecture, topography, and more.

The Guildhall was reconstructed after World War II and the present library opened in 1974 in the west wing of the building.

Event Website