From Wednesday, August 5 Wolverhampton City Archives, located in the former Molineux Hotel at Whitmore Hill, will reopen to the public with a new booking system in place.

The service, which has been carrying out digital research during the pandemic, will now be operating a system where visitors can book a 2.5-hour time slot to carry out their research.

Before visiting a valid ‘Archives Card’ will need to be obtained. This is available at www.archivescard.com.

Appointments can only be booked via Eventbrite by searching ‘Research appointments - Wolverhampton City Archives’.  Time slots are staggered with 30-minute intervals in between and there will be a maximum of eight people allowed in the search room at any one time. If visitors wish to book a longer time slot they will have to book two sessions together (subject to availability). Currently the Map Room and Microfilm are unavailable. Anybody requiring access to these resources can use the subsidised research service.

When booking a session via Eventbrite, visitors will need to indicate the items that they require, including any maps or local studies books. This will be prepared and set out at an allocated station within the search room. Gloves are not allowed to be worn when handling the material and hand sanitiser will be available.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “The City Archives provide a fantastic service and we know that residents and locals have been keen to get back onsite to carry out research.

“Visitors can rest assured that their safety is of the upmost importance and social distancing measures have been put in place to protect them and staff.”

To ensure your visit is safe for everyone there are some changes that you will see, such as social distancing checks on arrival, face coverings, hand sanitiser stations, allocated stations for research and allocated toilets.

A video is also available at www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk to outline what to expect when you visit.

The City Archives will be open as normal (Wednesday 1pm – 7pm, Thursday & Friday 10am - 4pm, and Saturday 10am - 1pm). Visitors can access the archives via Whitmore Hill. Parking is free, and visitors will need to obtain a parking pass from reception and display it in their vehicle.