Australia Archives (2024)

FAQs

What is the largest archives in the world? ›

The London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre, or LAARC, has been named by Guinness World Records as the world's Largest archaeological archive.

Who can use the National Archives? Anyone can use the National Archives. You do not need to be an American citizen or to present credentials or a letter of recommendation. Please refer to the NARA regulations as published in the Code of Federal Regulations.

We develop the information that we disseminate from reliable sources and use generally accepted methods for data collection, archival description, and editorial preparation. We thoroughly review information before we disseminate it.

Go to the Catalog main page at: www.archives.gov/research/catalog/. Conduct a search for the records of interest to you. You can search by keyword, National Archives Identifier (NAID), or type of archival material.

The oldest known example of a collection consisting primarily of written literary works (poetry, stories, travelogues, etc.) is the Library of Ashurbanipal, assembled at Nineveh (in present-day Iraq) by Ashurbanipal (688-631 BCE), king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the repository for the U.S. government's important documents. These records are a valuable source of information you can use to learn about your family's history, prove a veteran's military service, or research an interesting historical topic.

Why can't I take photographs in the National Archives Museum? Historical documents are fragile and can fade when exposed to light.

Located on the upper level of the National Archives museum, the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom is the permanent home of the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Bill of Rights.

The General Admission entrance is near the corner of Constitution Avenue and 9th Street, to the left of the stairs. The Special Events entrance is near the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, to the right of the stairs. The National Archives Research Center entrance is at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.

Generally, a claim against the National Archives must be filed by the person who suffered the damage, loss, or injury (or that person's representative). A claim based on death may be presented by the executor or administrator of the decedent's estate or other person legally entitled to assert such a claim.

What power does the National Archives have? ›

The National Archives and Records Administration ensures, for the citizen and the public servant, for the President and the Congress and the Courts, the identification, protection, preservation, and accessibility of historically valuable records of the federal government that document the rights of American citizens, ...

There shall be an independent establishment in the executive branch of the Government to be known as the National Archives and Records Administration.

We encourage you to visit The National Archives, where you can do your research and view documents free of charge, whether they are online documents or not online. If you want to pay someone to carry out the research on your behalf instead, you can use an independent researcher or our own paid search service.

Entry to the National Archives museum is free.

Reservations are not required for individuals or groups wishing to visit the National Archives Museum, but they are strongly suggested between March and Labor Day to avoid potentially long lines outside. Tickets are normally available 90 days in advance.

Plan your visit to the National Archives Museum, home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Open Daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Organization history and accolades

Of all the requests made each year to the U.S. National Archives, one item has been requested more than any other: the December 21, 1970, photograph of Elvis Presley and Richard M. Nixon shaking hands during Presley's visit to the White House.

There are approximately 13.28 billion pages of textual records; 10 million maps, charts, and architectural and engineering drawings; 44.4 million still photographs, digital images, filmstrips, and graphics; 40 million aerial photographs; 563,000 reels of motion picture film; 992,000 video and sound recordings; and ...

26 million cubic feet of agency records, including: 1 million cubic feet of “accessioned-in-place” records stored for NARA. More than 329,000 cubic feet of classified records.