BBC Archive

Curated extracts from the BBC's huge content archive.

Gems from the Archive

1976: Geoff Capes: athlete, policeman, budgie breeder. Video, 00:11:24
Geoff Capes talks about his great passions in life - the shot-put, his police job and prize-winning budgie breeding.
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
9 June 1976
2000: Wobbly Millennium Bridge forced to close. Video, 00:01:07
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
10 June 2000
Archive Quiz: The Replay Sports Quiz
Attribution
BBC
1970: Victorian teenagers look back at the 1890s. Video, 00:09:23
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
8 June 1970
1981: Cricket is impossible. Video, 00:01:50
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
9 June 1981

Understand more about one of the world’s oldest and largest multimedia archives.

BBC Archives Technology & Services

The Music Is Black

The Music Is Black Mixtape. Video, 60 minutes
Attribution
BBC Radio 1Xtra
Available for 10 months
1981: The carnival sound of steel pan drums. Video, 00:03:12
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
24 June 1981
1981: Eddy Grant on struggles as black musician. Video, 00:04:16
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
24 June 1981
1985: Courtney Pine, a talented young jazz musician. Video, 00:04:39
Attribution
BBC Archive
Posted
13 December 1985

BBC Archive from around the UK

Explore thousands of BBC archive films. This unique collection shows life and events across the UK since the 1940s.

Made of Scotland

On the march with Ally's Army in 1978. Video, 00:09:55
Attribution
BBC
1977: Rousay Film Society. Video, 00:11:47
Attribution
BBC Archive
1975: Iron Brewed - Scottish Ale. Video, 00:05:38
Attribution
BBC

Explore More

1979: Poly Styrene – Punk Pioneer. Video, 00:02:27
Attribution
BBC
Posted
29 May
1979: Muhammad Ali's Farewell Tour reaches Birmingham. Video, 00:04:09
Attribution
BBC
Posted
27 May
1966: This is what England footballers are made of. Video, 00:02:55
Attribution
BBC
Posted
26 May
1982: Aswad on reflecting their experience through music. Video, 00:03:11
Attribution
BBC
Posted
22 May
1983: Musical Youth go back to school. Video, 00:01:44
Attribution
BBC
Posted
21 May
1985: Courtney Pine, a talented young jazz musician. Video, 00:04:39
Attribution
BBC
Posted
20 May
1980: A new salon for black hair. Video, 00:02:31
Attribution
BBC
Posted
14 May
1980: How to make a classic English cricket bat. Video, 00:06:01
Attribution
BBC
Posted
12 May
1991: Introducing The Red Barrows! Video, 00:03:10
Attribution
BBC
Posted
11 May
1974: The man who talks to his bees. Video, 00:03:36
Attribution
BBC
Posted
8 May
1986: Suckling Airways - putting Ipswich on the map. Video, 00:01:59
Attribution
BBC
Posted
7 May
1980: Sir David Attenborough answers children's questions. Video, 00:05:50
Attribution
BBC
Posted
6 May
1994: What is the future of football in America? Video, 00:06:07
Attribution
BBC
Posted
28 April
2001: Teenage Susie Wolff on her driving ambitions. Video, 00:02:02
Attribution
BBC
Posted
16 April
1971: Calypso comes to Carnaby Street. Video, 00:03:07
Attribution
BBC
Posted
15 April
1981: Blue Peter shows off the tech behind the first London Marathon. Video, 00:03:32
Attribution
BBC
Posted
14 April
1980: Which books do kids love reading most? Video, 00:03:18
Attribution
BBC
Posted
9 April
1995: The day when nearly every UK phone number changed. Video, 00:02:03
Attribution
BBC
Posted
8 April
1976: Operation Hot Cross Bun gets underway. Video, 00:02:32
Attribution
BBC
Posted
26 March
2006: Steve Wozniak on building the first Apple computer. Video, 00:07:23
Attribution
BBC
Posted
25 March
1993: Dame Jenni Murray discusses Woman's Hour. Video, 00:08:06
Attribution
BBC
Posted
20 March
1973: Shoppers rush to bag bargains before VAT is introduced. Video, 00:02:25
Attribution
BBC
Posted
19 March
1970: The village with one loo. Video, 00:03:56
Attribution
BBC
Posted
17 March
1984: All Aboard the Fashion Bus! Video, 00:04:24
Attribution
BBC
Posted
9 March

Find us here