Association for Industrial Archaeology
The Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) is a UK charity and company limited by guarantee, founded in 1973 to promote the study of industrial archaeology, improve methods of recording and researching it, support conservation, and publish findings. It represents the interests of industrial archaeology at a national level and serves Great Britain and Ireland. Its charity number is 270410, and its headquarters are in Ironbridge, Shropshire.
The AIA is led by an elected Council of Management, with day-to-day work run by the association’s officers. The president is Marilyn Palmer, and the chairman (as of October 2020) is David Perrett.
The association works with traditional archaeology and with organizations that record, preserve, or fund Britain’s historic monuments. It is connected with TICCIH (the International Committee for the Conservation of Industrial Heritage) and the European Federation of Associations of Industrial and Technical Heritage (E-faith).
AIA activities include an annual conference held at various locations in the UK and Ireland, usually a weekend with visits and lectures, plus a spring weekend conference open to members and non-members. In planning matters, the AIA represents industrial archaeology through its Endangered Sites Officer via the Council for British Archaeology (CBA). It has awarded Restoration Grants for several projects and offers opportunities for escorted overseas visits to explore engineering history and industrial archaeology.
Publications include Industrial Archaeology Review, a biannual peer-reviewed journal for members, and Industrial Archaeology News, a quarterly newsletter with shorter articles, reviews and event calendars. The association also sometimes publishes regional gazetteers for conference areas.
Website: industrial-archaeology.org.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:45 (CET).