Park Stories

We collect, preserve and share the heritage of the Royal Parks. Our Richmond Park collection numbers some 6000 items covering four centuries of history. We also have more than 2,700 items relating to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St. James’s Park, Green Park and Regent’s Park. We hold a diverse range of material including paintings, prints, maps, photographs, postcards, books, objects, documents and press cuttings.

Our collections have many stories to tell about the fascinating histories of the Royal Parks. You can discover some of the amazing stories by clicking on the links below.

Richmond Park

Max Lankester’s Book
Have you ever wondered why particular places in the park are so called?   Max Lankester, an expert on the history of Richmond Park, answers these questions in an informative illustrated guide.

What’s in a Name? Features of Richmond Park

Our timeline highlights key events in Richmond Park’s history. It was researched and compiled by volunteers from the Friends of Richmond Park, who investigated the resources of the Hearsum Collection and the National Archives.

Richmond Park Timeline

Online exhibitions 

Deer in the City video with Sir David Attenborough
Learn about the wild deer in Richmond Park in our film

Bushy Park

Stories to come

Greenwich Park

Stories to come

Hyde Park

Kensington Gardens

Stories to come

Regent’s Park

Stories to come

St James’s Park and Green Park