Autumn 2023 marks 50 years since the completion, and official opening, of the new SOAS Library on the Bloomsbury site. The building, designed by Denys Lasdun and Grade II Listed since 2011 – as well as being the home of the SOAS National Research Library and a space beloved of SOAS alum and staff of several decades – is a notable later example of the Brutalist design that Lasdun made his
Over the next few weeks John Hollingworth, Gallery Manager and co-curator of ‘Academics, Agents & Activists: a history of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1916-2016’, will be introducing this fascinating centenary exhibition currently on display at the Brunei Gallery until 17th December. The exhibition tells a history of the School from the perspective of its people and spaces, highlighting the contributions and experiences of a selection of individuals
As part of our SOAS Centenary series, we take another look at hi-lights from the SOAS Picture Archive.This week we’ve found some nostalgic images of SOAS Library, showing some of the changes that have taken place over the years… A full catalogue of images is available on the SOAS Archive Catalogue. Photographs and visual items from the collection can be ordered and consulted in the Special Collections Reading Room.
As part of our SOAS Centenary series, this week we will be exploring the SOAS Picture Archive, which forms a fascinating part of SOAS’s own corporate archive collection. Images from the archive are now appearing across the campus as the School builds up to the start of the official SOAS Centenary celebrations. Comprising photographs and other visual media held by the School and the School’s photographer, the SOAS Picture Archive
In continuation of the SOAS Centenary celebrations, the catalogued minutes and papers of SOAS Boards and Committees are being published in phases on the SOAS Archive Catalogue. In this second blog, the Corporate Records Manager and Archivist, David Ogden, outlines the history and functions of the Academic Board. The precursor to the Academic Board was the Academic Organisation Committee, which applied for the School’s admission to the University of London. A
