American Archives Month
The National Archives is celebrating American Archives Month throughout October. Join us to learn more about how our staff make your history accessible to you! Follow us on social media and share your archives stories using the hashtag #ArchivesMonth.
Join us on Twitter Wednesday, October 2, for #AskAnArchivist Day as staff from across the nation, including our Presidential Libraries, talk about what it's like to be an archivist at the National Archives. And on October 10, electronic records get their own day—use the hashtag #ERecsDay on Twitter to join the conversation.
Pieces of History has a collection of blog posts highlighting the work of our staff, along with some special videos. On Instagram, Archives staff will take over and share photos of their day and the fascinating records they come across.
The National Archives will also be hosting our annual virtual Genealogy Fair on October 23. Tune into YouTube as our experts discuss family history research in Federal records—and answer your questions in real time.
2018: Three posts in 2018 asked What made you want to work at an archives? What advice would you give to someone who wants to work at an archive? and What’s your favorite tool?
2017: In 2017, a series of blog posts highlighted our "Archives Across America."
2016: In 2016 we showed how the National Archives is helping to lead the way with the management of digital records in the federal government.
2015: For 2015 American Archives Month we celebrated the work of archivists and the importance of archives with a series of blog posts about the Presidential libraries.
2014: For the 2014 American Archives Month, the National Archives teamed up with the Academy of American Poets for We the Poets. Throughout the month we published original poems inspired by the holdings of the National Archives and posted them on our YouTube Channel.
We also featured weekly posts on the history of the National Archives.
2013: For the 2013 American Archives Month, we highlighted the work of archivists from our Presidential Libraries.
Stories about National Archives history:
- Our First Preservation Program
- The First Records
- The National Archives' Role in Amending the Constitution
- The Bill of Rights at 225
- Elections and the Electoral College
- The Presidential Libraries
- A Coast-to-Coast Archives
- Preserving the Archives' Past
- Building on a Tradition of Oral History
- The National Archives Goes Underground
- The Records of Congress
Discover fun facts about the National Archives
Take a behind the scenes look at “Today’s Document”
Research at the National Archives in Washington, DC
Research at the National Archives at St. Louis
What we looked like in 1940!
An inside look: Boxing at the National Archives
A behind-the-scenes look at our Motion Picture, Sound and Video Office and film preservation
Resources
Educator Resources • Locate teachable primary sources, find new and favorite lesson plans, and create your own activities for your students.
Military Personnel Records • The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century.
Civilian Personnel Records • The National Personnel Records Center's (NPRC) Federal Records Center Program maintains the Official Personnel Folders (OPF) of former Federal civilian employees whose employment ended after 1951.
Discover our blogs • The National Archives maintains multiple blogs in the interest of sharing more information with the public about our activities, and serve as a channel for the public to respond to news, upcoming events, and proposed projects.
Our Research Facilities
National Archives Washington, DC
National Archives at Atlanta, GA
National Archives at Boston, MA
National Archives at Chicago, IL
National Archives at College Park, MD
National Archives at Denver, CO
National Archives at Fort Worth, TX
National Archives at Kansas City, MO
National Archives at New York City, NY
National Archives at Philadelphia, PA
National Archives at Riverside, CA
National Archives at San Francisco, CA
National Archives at Seattle, WA
National Archives at St. Louis, MO
National Personnel Records Center (Military)
National Personnel Records Center (Civilian)
Our Presidential Libraries
Herbert Hoover Library
Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
Harry S. Truman Library
Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
John F. Kennedy Library
Lyndon B. Johnson Library
Richard Nixon Library
Gerald R. Ford Library
Jimmy Carter Library
Ronald Reagan Library
George Bush Library
William J. Clinton Library
George W. Bush Library
Barack Obama LibraryWashington Area Exhibits
Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom • The permanent home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Bill of Rights—known collectively as the Charters of Freedom
"Records of Rights" in the David M. Rubenstein Gallery • Explore how generations of Americans debated issues such as citizenship, free speech, voting rights, and equal opportunity.
The Public Vaults • Embark on a virtual journey into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives. See some of the most fascinating original records in our holdings.
Nationwide Exhibits
Presidential Libraries • See thought-provoking and entertaining permanent exhibits that use artifacts, documents, photographs, and film, to introduce you to the people, places, and events that shaped the Presidents' lives.
The National Archives Traveling Exhibits Service (NATES) • View traveling exhibits in museums, libraries, historic sites, and cultural centers that engage and inspire diverse audiences. These exhibits draw from the holdings of the National Archives—a national network of Federal archives, Presidential libraries, and records centers.
Online Exhibits
Google Cultural Institute exhibits • The National Archives has dozens of online exhibits about its history and work.