Welcome to the Legal Costume Collection
The Permanent Exhibition of Legal and Judicial Costume is housed in the majestic setting of the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand in the centre of London's legal quarter.
​
Opened in 1974 by Lord Hailsham (then Lord Chancellor), its objective remains to compile a record of every surviving form of historic judicial and legal costume. It is the largest and most comprehensive collection of its type in the country.
Exhibitions
There are three different costume displays at the RCJ: The Strand on the Ground Floor and The Main Exhibition and Hailsham Exhibition on the 1st floor.
Can thus large wigs our reverence engage?
Find out more about how a fashionable trend, once scorned by Samuel Pepys, turned into a tradition.
100 Years of Women in Law
The Costume Exhibition is proud to present their contribution to the celebration of 100 years of Women in Law. We have had donated to the collection, by Lady Justice Black, the robes worn by Mrs Justice Lane.
How to Find Us
London Underground: Temple and Holborn (7 Minutes by foot), Chancery Lane (9 Minutes by foot), St Paul's Tube (15 Minutes by foot).
Buses: Bus numbers 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76, 172, and 341 stop outside the RCJ. Bus numbers 1, 59, 68, 91, 168, 171, 188, 243, 521 and X68 stop on Kingsway and Aldwych.
Cycles: There are numerous cycle hire docks near by.
Disabled Access: The building is DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant for wheelchair users.
Opening Hours
​
Mon - Fri: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Sat-Sun: Closed
Bank Holidays: Closed
Free entry
Conservation
In 2018, Zenzie Tinker was delighted to be appointed as the Advisor for Conservation and Display of the Legal Costume Collection.