National Lottery Thanks To You – Explore the BFI National Archive

Throughout the year the BFI allocates National Lottery funding to support film culture across the UK, backing bold and original storytellers, giving audiences across the UK the chance to see the world’s best films and nurturing the very best in UK filmmaking talent.

To say thank you to National Lottery players, we are offering a rare chance to explore the BFI National Archive.

Fourteen lucky film fans (plus a guest) will have the opportunity to visit our archive in Berkhamsted, which holds a magnificent collection of film and television, from the birth of cinema to today. Dating from the earliest days of film to the live capture of current television content, the BFI National Archive contains nearly a million titles – it is one of the largest media collections in the world. 

Guests will be welcomed to the archive by members of our knowledgeable team who will then offer an insightful tour of the collection. Guests will then be treated to a light lunch and given the chance to talk about their film findings with the group.

• The tour will start promptly at 10.15am
• A light lunch will be provided at 12:30 at the end of the tour
• The event is expected to end at 1:30pm

To enter, please email filmcompetitions@bfi.org.uk using the subject header BFI National Lottery Open Week, with your name, and contact details. To qualify, entrants must include evidence of a National Lottery ticket in the form of a clear scan of a physical ticket or a screenshot of a digital ticket that is valid for a forthcoming National Lottery draw at time of entry.

Entries will be accepted until midnight on 8 March 2024.

Each of the 14 successful applicants will be selected at random.

Successful applicants will be notified on 11 March 2024 and asked to confirm their attendance. 

Winners that fail to confirm their attendance on the tour by 5pm on 12 March 2024 forfeit their place, which will be offered to another participant selected at random.

This offer and date is non-transferable. By applying for this offer, participants acknowledge and confirm their availability to take part.

Entrants must be aged 18+ on Thursday 14 March 2024. Identification may be required on site. No compensation will be offered to winning participants that cannot supply appropriate age identification.

Successful entrants gain access for one (1) to the BFI National Archive tour plus one (1) guest.

Guests that require assistance in the form of a registered carer will be accommodated.

Guests will be responsible for organising their own travel to and from the BFI National Archive. 

The archive is located at: Kingshill Way, Berkhamsted HP4 3TP. Trains run to Berkhamsted four times per hour from London Euston and with a journey time of around half an hour. The BFI National Archive is a five-minute cab ride from Berkhamsted Railway Station or a 25-minute walk. 

Guests will be responsible for organising accommodation if necessary.  

This offer has no cash value.

Guests acknowledge that part of the tour will take guests into cold storage with low temperatures required to preserve certain formats of film. However this proponent of the event will last no more than 10 minutes.

Guests acknowledge that they will be required to stand/walk for upwards of two hours and are advised to wear comfortable footwear/clothing. 

The BFI National Archive is accessible and wheelchair friendly. Wheelchair access may be restricted in certain areas – please do get in touch with us prior to the tour if you are a wheelchair user and our team will adapt the tour to ensure full accessibility.

A hard of hearing access loop is available in the BFI National Archive board room where tour introductions will take place.

We encourage guests with any concerns regarding accessibility or the itinerary of the archive tour to get in touch with us ahead of their visit.

Entry to the BFI Film Archive is at the discretion of the site manager and their decision is final.

In the unlikely event of the tour being cancelled by the BFI or National Lottery, this offer will be rescheduled and communicated with all winning participants.

Throughout the year the BFI allocates National Lottery funding to support film culture across the UK, backing bold and original storytellers, giving audiences across the UK the chance to see the world’s best films and nurturing the very best in UK filmmaking talent.

To say thank you to National Lottery players, we are offering a rare chance to explore the BFI National Archive.

Fourteen lucky film fans (plus a guest) will have the opportunity to visit our archive in Berkhamsted, which holds a magnificent collection of film and television, from the birth of cinema to today. Dating from the earliest days of film to the live capture of current television content, the BFI National Archive contains nearly a million titles – it is one of the largest media collections in the world. 

Guests will be welcomed to the archive by members of our knowledgeable team who will then offer an insightful tour of the collection. Guests will then be treated to a light lunch and given the chance to talk about their film findings with the group.