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• The early years (1869-1914)
• World War I and the Interwar Years
• World War II and Postwar (1939-1969)
• The Modern Company (1970-2002)
• Sainsbury's Today
• Sainsbury's Study Centre and Archive

The Sainsbury Study Centre and Archive at the Museum in Docklands

The Sainsbury Archive documents the history of one of the nation's oldest retailers, and London's oldest. It also provides a unique illustration of the transformation that has occurred in retailing and in shopping and eating habits since the mid-19th century.

The Archive is now located at the Museum in Docklands and the collections are available via the new purpose built Sainsbury Study Centre. Visitors can view displays from the collection and browse a range of digital and paper-based resources from the library and archives, including reference books, image files, films and journals covering the history of Sainsbury's and shopping and the history of the docks and the local area. The separate search room is open by appointment for more in-depth research using material from the archive collections.

Highlights from the Sainsbury Archive can also be viewed online by visiting the new website, 'Story of a Supermarket'. This replaces the Sainsbury's Virtual Museum educational site which was created in 1998. Much of the material from the old site has been retained, but users can now access a wealth of additional information and images from the archive, through the themes of People, Places, Products and Progress. The site also includes material for schools which supports the National Curriculum at KS2, along with quizzes, old-fashioned packaging to make and other activities for family learning.

For further information please contact:

Email: sainsburyarchive@museumoflondon.org.uk
Phone: 020 7001 9852