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Milton Keynes City Archives
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MK Archives
Following extensive planning and scoping work, Milton Keynes City Council with Buckinghamshire Archives, MK City Discovery Centre and Living Archive MK are exploring the potential of creating a New City Archive for Milton Keynes.
Partner organisations work together under the ‘New City Archives’ banner. They bring together the full archival story of the building of Milton Keynes by accessing official and personal papers, photographs, maps, artists and other creative works, film, video and oral histories. Together they chart the social history of the pioneers, citizens and newcomers to Milton Keynes that have made it their home.
After the success of Archiveopia in October 2022, the partnership continue to run a range of different projects, events and activities testing new ways of using archives with a range of different audiences, evidencing how archives are used and how people might want to access them in future. Through contemporary collecting projects, the partners are also adding to the archive to make it more representative of our communities who live here and as a result more relevant to today.
This co-created programme is advertised through the shared Milton Keynes City Archive website and is helping to inform both digital/online and physical access options that together will form the future New City Archive for delivery in five years. Largescale projects are being planned for 2025-26 to deliver more activity for Milton Keynes' 60th birthday in 2027.
Buckinghamshire Archives
Buckinghamshire Archives is the County Archives and Local Studies Library for the historic county of Buckinghamshire.
They offer a range of resources to support research in family, local and house history in the county. They acquire and preserve archive and research materials relating to the historic county of Buckinghamshire. They also help present and future generations by promoting the use and enjoyment of materials for cultural, educational, recreational and administrative needs.
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Living Archive MK
Collecting and sharing the stories of our city and our rich heritage.
Living Archive collects, preserves and shares the history and heritage of Milton Keynes. Living Archive was conceived as an antidote to the assertion that ‘new towns have no history’. It was nurtured by the belief that ‘everybody has a story to tell’. It has recorded, archived and celebrated the unique history of residents’ lives and sense of place.
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Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre
Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre informs visitors about urban geography and new city planning - as well as the historical and natural heritage of Milton Keynes.
The archive records the fascinating story of the development of the new city of Milton Keynes, and also a wealth of pre- new town history. Many important items have been preserved in our collections - books, photographs, maps, reports, posters, plans and periodicals.
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MK City Council
Milton Keynes City Council and Buckinghamshire Council jointly look after the historic and new town archives of Milton Keynes through a Joint Arrangement, with the collections based at the Buckinghamshire Archives in Aylesbury.In November 2025, the Archive will close and reopen in its new home in High Wycombe in Summer 2026.
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Milton Keynes City Council Libraries
The ten Milton Keynes libraries provide an open door to anyone seeking information, books, access to IT facilities or a space to study and meet.
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Events
The New City Archives partners are proud to bring you a selection of collaborative events and activities to showcase the local history and heritage of Milton Keynes.
These range from walks, talks, tours, exhibitions, workshops, collecting events, film screenings, and much much more!
To find out more check out the partner Milton Keynes City Archive website.
Look Again - Design Heritage Trail
Look Again is a guide to Central Milton Keynes’ unique modern heritage, art, architecture and design. Get off the beaten track and discover stories of how creativity is all around you.
Look Again was created by Milton Keynes City Council with the research and collections of the Archive partners. The trail is added to every month, helping to test stories and designs, and enabling everyone to explore our unique design heritage. Throughout the City Centre information panels and artwork plaques have been created with QR Codes that take people to the online information, with a handy Map to explore by area, theme or interest.
Help us expand the trail by giving feedback online - head to the LOOK AGAIN website.
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