This Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies is a result of the explosive growth of extragalactic astronomy over the last 15 years. With data on more than 23,000 galaxies, it includes all galaxies with apparent diameters larger than one arc minute, magnitudes brighter than about magnitude 15.5, and redshifts not larger than 15,000 km/sec, as well as many other objects of interest. Volume 1 contains the explanations and references; volumes 2 and 3 contain the catalogue proper. The catalogue gives for each galaxy the position, names, type and luminosity class, optical diameters, optical and infrared magnitudes, various color indices, and radial velocities.