In early 1896 Cecil Smith, Director of the British School at Athens, was looking for a site to excavate in Athens for two reasons: for the BSA to contribute to the knowledge of Athenian topography and, more so perhaps, to use the opportunity as a training ground for students who would then move on to the BSA excavations being planned on the island of Melos.

The Mycenae Excavation Records consist primarily of original site plans, drawings and watercolours of artefacts, as well as a few notebooks and photographs, produced during the 1920-23 British School at Athens excavations at Mycenae led by then BSA Director, Alan Wace.