Education Platform
An educational & cultural research resource of primary sources exploring 100 years of youth culture through the scenes, styles, and sounds that forged them. From Rave, Punk, Rockabilly to Grime.
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The Subculture Archives brings together the Museum of Youth Culture's wider collection of photographs, objects, ephemera, public submissions and oral histories, with educational content including essays, lectures and other research resources.
The Museum of Youth Culture digital archive is a fascinating resource, loaded with a diverse range of materials - from club night photographs and concert flyers to audio collages and personal essays... So, what has been most helpful to our students researching punk, drag, rave, hippies, mods, goths, new romantics, etc. is that these materials serve to deepen their understanding of subculture beyond basic pop cultural familiarity, and into a more tactile, intimate and human place. These primary sources place youth movements in a real time and place and show the authentic joy and community within them."
Tutor, School of Design, Edinburgh University
What We Cover
Photography
Delve into 100 years of subculture history with a simple search tool and workspace feature allowing users to pin research into organised folders for easy access. Students can explore and reference exclusive photography celebrating our rich social fabric with free download access for educational use.
Audio & Oral History
Listen to the voice of subculture history through recorded and transcribed oral histories made with key youth culture figures, partygoers, movers-and-shakers and everyday folk; representing an eclectic balanced view of life growing up in Britain. Podcasts, historical audio mixes and subcultural music playlists bring immersive, subcultural insights for research and brand projects.
Flyers, Objects & Ephemera
Incorporating over 15,000 flyers and zines documenting historic concerts, raves and events from Hippies to 2Tone, to Acid House, the Subculture Archives chronicles the design and visual communication of youth cultures’ self expression through printed and paper means from the 1960s to present day. From moral panic stricken newspaper front covers, to customised clothing and school satchells, all browsable online.
Articles, Journals & Research
Working with PhD researchers and specialist subculture writers from The Subcultures Network, the Subculture Archives chronicles the socio-political journey of youth culture from the 1920s to present day alongside anecdotal articles, features and historic journals and magazines including Sleazenation and the iconic 60s biker mag, The Link.