National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Washington, DC

Aug 20, 2026

History and Founding

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) was established in 1934 under the National Archives Act signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The National Archives Act created a centralized repository for U.S. federal government records. The idea of national archives dates back approximately to 1877. Following a damaging Patent Office fire, General Montgomery Meigs proposed a fireproof national Hall of Records. Congress passed the Public Buildings Act in 1926, appropriating funds for the National Archives building, to be designed in the neoclassical style by architect John Russell Pope. The National Archives building opened in 1935. NARA, in 1985, became an independent agency.

Collections and Holdings

NARA is the nation's record keeper, preserving and providing public access to approximately 2-5 percent of all federal records of historical and legal value. . In the Washington, D.C. area alone, collections total approximately 13.5 billion pieces of paper; 41 million still pictures and graphics; 450 million feet of film; 10 million maps, charts, and architectural plans; 40 million aerial photographs; and substantial electronic records. NARA administers 15 presidential libraries and museums, 15 regional records facilities across the country, and nine affiliated archive facilities. Holdings span from the Revolutionary War era to the recent past and include congressional records, Supreme Court records, military service records, immigration records, and the records of all federal agencies dating as far back as 1775. NARA also held custody of the Iraqi Jewish Archive from 2003 until 2018. Highlights include the Charters of Freedom (the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights), the Emancipation Proclamation, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, Japanese surrender documents, slave ship manifests, and Universal Newsreels (1929-1967).

Journalism and Media Materials

NARA's holdings include significant media-relevant collections, particularly its Universal Newsreels collection from 1929 to 1967. Press-related government records, including communications, censorship files, and broadcasting regulatory documents, are dispersed across numerous record groups accessible through the National Archives Catalog. NARA's Founders Online project provides free access to 185,000 letters and documents from seven Founding Fathers.

Access and Usage

Research facilities include Archives I in Washington, D.C. (Pennsylvania Avenue), Archives II in College Park, Maryland, 14 regional archives, and 15 Presidential Libraries nationwide. The National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. is open daily. Research rooms require advance appointment. The National Archives Catalog provides online access to millions of records, with many available for free digital download.