Researcher Updates
2026
August 2026
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) will close the National Archives at Chicago/Chicago Federal Records Center (FRC) and the National Archives at San Francisco/San Bruno FRC and move all temporary records from the Seattle FRC. NARA will relocate all records to other NARA locations. Seattle's archival and permanent records will remain until a suitable replacement facility is identified in the area.
These closures address the growing volume of underutilized space resulting from the federal government's transition to electronic recordkeeping. Pursuant to OMB Memorandum M-23-07, NARA ceased accepting analog record transfers into the FRC Program on June 30, 2024. As the FRC Program operates on a reimbursable basis, the decline in paper record storage necessitates a reduction in NARA's real property footprint. Consequently, NARA will close these three FRCs and consolidate the remaining records stored in these FRCs into available space at other FRC locations.
The closure of the San Bruno and Chicago FRCs also necessitates the closure of the co-located archival operations. In addition, these facilities, which are over 50 years old, possess aging infrastructure requiring significant upgrades that are fiscally unviable for the agency.
NARA began adjustments to its real property footprint as early as 2014 with the announced closure of its Anchorage archival facility and the relocation and downsizing of its standalone archival facilities in Philadelphia and Fort Worth. The adjustments have accelerated more recently with the 2022 announced closures of the Pittsfield facility and the Warehouse 9 records storage facility operated by the Fort Worth Federal Records Center. In 2024 NARA announced four facility closures: our archival facility at the U.S. Custom House in New York, the temporary Barack Obama Presidential Library facility at Hoffman Estates, the Fairfield records storage facility operated by the Dayton Federal Records Center and office space at the Government Publishing Office (GPO) used by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) and the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS).
NARA is committed to maintaining records access for all archival records in our legal custody.
All archival records currently located at the National Archives at San Francisco will continue to be accessible to researchers. The records will be relocated to other NARA locations and will be available for research in their new locations following the completion of their moves. Records will be relocated to the following locations:
- National Archives at Riverside: Defense/Military (RG 18, 77, 92, 110, 111, 112, 127, 156, 175, 181, 313, 319, 334, 336, 338, 342, 361, 371, 392, 393, 394, 407, 544, 552), Records of the Government of American Samoa (RG 284), Bureau of Land Management (RG 49), General Services Administration (RG 121, 137, 269, 270), and Community Service Administration (RG 381).
- National Archives at Denver: Departments of Agriculture (RG 7, 8, 16, 83, 95, 96, 97, 114, 136, 164, 310, 462, 463), Commerce (RG 27, 32, 178, 295, 370), Education (RG 12), Energy (RG 138, 430, 434), Health and Human Services (RG 90, 235, 468, 513), Housing and Urban Development (RG 31, 196, 207), Interior (RG 22, 48, 57, 70, 75, 79, 126, 315, 368), Transportation (RG 30, 237, 357, 406), Treasury (RG 56, 58, 101, 104, 265, 483), and Veterans Affairs (RG 15); Atomic Energy Commission (RG 326), Post Office (RG 28), Federal Emergency Management Agency (RG 311), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (RG 34), Farm Credit Administration (RG 103), U.S. Civil Service Commission (RG 146), Federal Communications Commission (RG 173), Office of the Housing Expediter (RG 252), Environmental Protection Agency (RG 412), National Credit Union Administration (RG 413), and Federal Labor Relations Authority (RG 480).
- National Archives at College Park: Office of Alien Property (RG 131), Government Accountability Office (RG 411), American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (RG 452), and National Archives and Records Administration (RG 64)
- National Archives at Fort Worth: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (RG 255)
- National Archives at Kansas City: Courts (RG 21, 276, 578), Departments of Homeland Security (RG 26, 36, 41, 566, 567, 568), Justice (RG 60, 85, 118, 129, 379, 527), and Labor (RG 100, 119, 155, 174, 257, 369, 433); New Deal (RG 9, 69, 187, 232), WWI and WWII Civilian agencies (RG 4, 14, 67, 158, 171, 188, 202, 211, 219, 227, 228, 248), Coast and Geodetic Survey (RG 23), National Labor Relations Board (RG 25), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (RG 280), Economic Stabilization Agency (RG 293), and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (RG 403)
All archival records currently located at the National Archives at Chicago will continue to be accessible to researchers. The records will be relocated to other NARA locations and will be available for research in their new locations following the completion of their moves. Records will be relocated to the following locations:
- The National Archives at Kansas City: Courts (RG 21, 578), Departments of Agriculture (RG 83, 95, 96, 114, 136, 310, 355), Commerce (RG 23, 370), Education (RG 441), Energy (RG 434), Health and Human Services (RG 90, 381), Homeland Security (RG 26, 41, 311, 567), Housing and Urban Development (RG 207), Interior (RG 22, 48, 49, 57, 75, 79, 435), Justice (RG 60, 85, 118, 129, 379, 527), Labor (RG 100, 155, 257, 369, 433), Transportation (RG 30, 237, 406), Treasury (RG 36, 58, 101, 195, 483), and Veterans Affairs (RG 15); New Deal (RG 9, 69, 133, 187), Defense/Military (RG 18, 24, 52, 72, 77, 92, 110, 111, 112, 127, 156, 165, 175, 181, 338, 342, 361, 507, 544), World War I and World War II agencies (RG 4, 158, 188, 202, 211, 228, 245), National Mediation Board (RG 13), National Labor Relations Board (RG 25), Post Office (RG 28), Farm Credit Administration (RG 103), U.S. Civil Service Commission (RG 146), Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards (RG 220), Office of the Housing Expediter (RG 252), General Services Administration (RG 121, 269, 270, 291), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (RG 280), Atomic Energy Commission (RG 326), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (RG 403), Environmental Protection Agency (RG 412),and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (RG 431)
- The National Archives at Boston: Railroad Retirement Board (RG 184)
- The National Archives at Fort Worth: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (RG 255)
- The National Archives at Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (RG 442)
- The National Archives at College Park: National Archives and Records Administration (RG 64), Office of Alien Property (RG 131), US Secret Service (RG 87)
The destinations for temporary records located within the FRCs will be communicated to our Federal agency customers once our move plans have been finalized.
July 2026
Temporary Closure of RG 373 Aerial Photography
Effective July 13, 2026, selected high use cans of aerial photography housed within Record Group 373, Records of the Defense Intelligence Agency, will be temporarily closed to prepare for relocation to the National Archives at College Park (Special Media Reference Branch).
Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park (and Lenexa Federal Records Center): July 13, 2026
Estimated Date Available to Researchers at the National Archives at College Park: September 14, 2026
Please keep in mind that the dates listed above are an estimate. If there is a significant change to this schedule, NARA will provide notice in the Cartographic Research Room at the National Archives at College Park and online here.
You can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at College Park in one of the following ways:
Email: carto@nara.gov
or
Send a letter to:
National Archives at College Park
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
June 2026
Closure of the National Archives at Chicago and the National Archives at San Francisco
The National Archives at Chicago and the National Archives at San Francisco will be closing in the next few years. Onsite and offsite reference services will continue at this time. We will share future updates on this page.
April 2026
Records move of the Railroad Retirement Board Records (RG 184)
Beginning in April 2026, staff at the National Archives at Atlanta are moving approximately 26,000 cubic feet of accessioned records to the Boston area. Learn more.
2025
August 2025
Temporary Closure of RG 373 Aerial Photography
Effective August 25, 2025: Due to high interest in cans of aerial photography covering the World War II time period housed within Record Group 373 (Records of the Defense Intelligence Agency), many cans of photographic records will be physically relocated to the National Archives at College Park (Cartographic Branch) to meet demand. This will necessitate that these records become temporarily unavailable to prepare for their relocation to Maryland, and during transport.
This relocation will ultimately make the records more accessible to the public, and minimize risk to the records as they are now frequently being shipped back and forth from the Lenexa Federal Records Center near Kansas City. Additionally, NARA will realize cost savings by reducing the frequent shipping of these records.
Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park (and Lenexa Federal Records Center): August 25, 2025
Estimated Date Available to Researchers at the National Archives at College Park: October 20, 2025
If there is a significant change to this schedule, NARA will provide notice in the Cartographic Research Room at the National Archives at College Park and online here.
You can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at College Park in one of the following ways:
E-mail: carto@nara.gov
or
Send a letter to:
National Archives at College Park
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
June 2025
Move of Records within the World War I Civilian Agencies Cluster
Effective June 20, 2025, the records within the World War I Civilian Agencies Cluster will be temporarily closed to prepare for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. A list of those agencies is provided below:
| RG | AGENCY NAME |
| 1 | War Labor Policies Board |
| 2 | National War Labor Board (World War I) |
| 3 | U.S. Housing Corporation |
| 4 | U.S. Food Administration |
| 5 | U.S. Grain Corporation |
| 6 | U.S. Sugar Equalization Board, Inc. |
| 14 | U.S. Railroad Administration |
| 61 | War Industries Board |
| 67 | U.S. Fuel Administration |
| 154 | War Finance Corporation |
| 158 | Capital Issues Committee |
| 190 | Bureau of War Risk Litigation |
| 194 | War Minerals Relief Commission |
Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park: June 20, 2025
Estimated Date Available to Researchers at the National Archives at Kansas City: October 27, 2025
Please keep in mind that the dates listed above are an estimate. If there is a significant change to this schedule we will post it in the consultation areas at the National Archives at College Park and the National Archives at Kansas City.
You can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at Kansas City in one of the following ways:
E-mail: kansascity.archives@nara.gov
or
Send a letter to:
National Archives at Kansas City
400 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
Please contact the National Archives at Kansas City at least two business days in advance.
April 2025
Move of Records within the New Deal Agencies Cluster
Effective April 28, 2025, the records within the New Deal Agencies Cluster will be temporarily closed to prepare for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. A list of those agencies is provided below:
| RG | AGENCY NAME |
| 9 | National Recovery Administration |
| 35 | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| 68 | U.S. Coal Commission |
| 69 | Work Projects Administration |
| 73 | President's Organization on Unemployment Relief |
| 89 | Federal Fuel Distributor |
| 119 | National Youth Administration |
| 133 | Federal Coordinator of Transportation |
| 135 | Public Works Administration |
| 150 | National Bituminous Coal Commission, 1935-1936 |
| 162 | General Records of the Federal Works Agency |
| 222 | Bituminous Coal Division |
| 223 | Office of the Bituminous Coal Consumers' Counsel |
Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park: April 28, 2025
Estimated Date Available to Researchers at the National Archives at Kansas City: September 8, 2025
Please keep in mind that the dates listed above are an estimate. If there is a significant change to this schedule we will post it in the consultation areas at the National Archives at College Park and the National Archives at Kansas City.
You can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at Kansas City via e-mail: kansascity.archives@nara.gov or send a letter to:
National Archives at Kansas City
400 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
Please contact the National Archives at Kansas City at least two business days in advance.
February 2025
Move of Records within the Labor Agencies Cluster
Effective February 10, 2025, the records within the Labor Agencies Cluster will be temporarily closed to prepare for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. A list of those agencies is provided below:
| RG | AGENCY NAME |
| 13 | National Mediation Board |
| 25 | National Labor Relations Board |
| 86 | Women's Bureau |
| 100 | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| 102 | Children's Bureau |
| 155 | Wage and Hour Division |
| 174 | General Records of the Department of Labor |
| 183 | Office of Employment Security |
| 236 | Wage Adjustment Board |
| 244 | Retraining and Reemployment Administration |
| 254 | Shipbuilding Stabilization Committee |
| 257 | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| 271 | Office of Workers' Compensation Programs |
| 280 | Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service |
| 293 |
Wage and Salary Stabilization Boards of the Economic Stabilization Agency |
| 300 | Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training |
| 317 | Labor-Management Services Administration |
| 369 | Employment and Training Administration |
| 386 | Employees' Compensation Appeals Board |
| 433 | Mine Safety and Health Administration |
| 448 | General Records of the Employment Standards Administration |
| 455 | Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission |
| 465 | Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation |
| 470 |
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission |
Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park: February 10, 2025
Estimated Date Available to Researchers at the National Archives at Kansas City: July 1, 2025
Please keep in mind that the dates listed above are an estimate. If there is a significant change to this schedule we will post it in the consultation areas at the National Archives at College Park and the National Archives at Kansas City.
You can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at Kansas City in one of the following ways:
E-mail: kansascity.archives@nara.gov
or
Send a letter to:
National Archives at Kansas City
400 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
Please contact the National Archives at Kansas City at least two business days in advance.
2024
November 2024
Move of Records within the World War II Civilian Agencies Cluster
Effective December 2, 2024, the records within the World War II Civilian Agencies Cluster will be temporarily closed to prepare for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. A list of those agencies is provided below:
| RG | AGENCY NAME |
| 179 | War Production Board |
| 188 | Office of Price Administration |
| 202 | National War Labor Board (World War II) |
| 211 | War Manpower Commission* |
| 245 | Solid Fuels Administration for War |
| 248 | War Shipping Administration |
| 250 | Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion |
| 253 | Petroleum Administration for War |
- Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park: December 2, 2024
- Estimated Date Available to Researchers at the National Archives at Kansas City: March 20, 2025
*Please note that RG 211 War Manpower Commission is already available in Kansas City.
Please keep in mind that the dates listed above are an estimate. If there is a significant change to this schedule we will post it in the consultation areas at the National Archives at College Park and the National Archives at Kansas City.
You can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at Kansas City in one of the following ways:
E-mail: kansascity.archives@
or
Send a letter to:
National Archives at Kansas City
400 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
Please contact the National Archives at Kansas City at least two business days in advance.
October 2024
Records Move of Records Relating to WWI & WWII Civilian Agencies, Labor, and the New Deal
Numerous Record Groups will be temporarily closed in Fiscal Year 2025 to prepare for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. Similar records are already located in the Kansas City area.
Estimated Closure Date at the National Archives at College Park will be on a rolling-basis as Record Groups are prepared for shipment to Kansas City. Notices with additional information about closure dates and estimated reopening dates will be posted as Record Groups are closed.
The National Archives will change the custodial unit to the National Archives at Kansas City, and relocated records stored at College Park to Kansas City for the following list of Record Groups:
| RG | AGENCY NAME |
| 1 | War Labor Policies Board |
| 2 | National War Labor Board (World War I) |
| 3 | U.S. Housing Corporation |
| 4 | U.S. Food Administration |
| 5 | U.S. Grain Corporation |
| 6 | U.S. Sugar Equalization Board, Inc. |
| 9 | National Recovery Administration |
| 13 | National Mediation Board |
| 14 | U.S. Railroad Administration |
| 25 | National Labor Relations Board |
| 35 | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| 61 | War Industries Board |
| 67 | U.S. Fuel Administration |
| 68 | U.S. Coal Commission |
| 69 | Work Projects Administration |
| 73 | President's Organization on Unemployment Relief |
| 86 | Women's Bureau |
| 89 | Federal Fuel Distributor |
| 100 | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| 102 | Children's Bureau |
| 119 | National Youth Administration |
| 133 | Federal Coordinator of Transportation |
| 135 | Public Works Administration |
| 150 | National Bituminous Coal Commission, 1935-1936 |
| 154 | War Finance Corporation |
| 155 | Wage and Hour Division |
| 158 | Capital Issues Committee |
| 162 | General Records of the Federal Works Agency |
| 174 | General Records of the Department of Labor |
| 179 | War Production Board |
| 183 | Office of Employment Security |
| 188 | Office of Price Administration |
| 190 | Bureau of War Risk Litigation |
| 194 | War Minerals Relief Commission |
| 202 | National War Labor Board (World War II) |
| 211 | War Manpower Commission |
| 222 | Bituminous Coal Division |
| 223 | Office of the Bituminous Coal Consumers' Counsel |
| 236 | Wage Adjustment Board |
| 244 | Retraining and Reemployment Administration |
| 245 | Solid Fuels Administration for War |
| 248 | War Shipping Administration |
| 250 | Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion |
| 253 | Petroleum Administration for War |
| 254 | Shipbuilding Stabilization Committee |
| 257 | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| 271 | Office of Workers' Compensation Programs |
| 280 | Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service |
| 293 | Wage and Salary Stabilization Boards of the Economic Stabilization Agency |
| 300 | Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training |
| 317 | Labor-Management Services Administration |
| 369 | Employment and Training Administration |
| 386 | Employees' Compensation Appeals Board |
| 433 | Mine Safety and Health Administration |
| 448 | General Records of the Employment Standards Administration |
| 455 | Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission |
| 465 | Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation |
| 470 | Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission |
Records Move of the National Archives at New York City
Beginning October 1, 2024, staff at the National Archives at New York City are moving records to the Philadelphia and Kansas City areas. Learn more.
September 2024
Records Move of District Courts of the United States (RG 21) and United States Bankruptcy Courts (RG 578)
Beginning September 12, 2024, staff at the National Archives at Philadelphia are moving records to the Kansas City area. Learn more.
July 2024
Records Move of Federal Communications Commission (RG 173)
Beginning July 1, 2024, staff at the National Archives at College Park are moving approximately 22,227 cubic feet of records to the Kansas City area. Learn more.
Records move of the Railroad Retirement Board Records (RG 184)
Beginning in July 2024, staff at the National Archives at Atlanta are moving approximately 27,000 cubic feet of records to the National Archives at Boston. Learn more.
February 2024
- Frequently Asked Questions Related to In-Person Research (revised February 13, 2024)
- Your In-Person Research Experience Matters!
- Frequently Asked Questions Related to In-Person Research (revised February 2, 2024)
2023
July 2023
Records move of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Records (RG 241)
Beginning July 28, 2023, staff at the National Archives at College Park are moving approximately 1,126 cubic feet of records to the Kansas City area. Learn more.
Records move of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Records (RG 241)
Beginning July 7, 2023, staff at the National Archives at College Park are moving approximately 1,151 cubic feet of records to the Kansas City area. Learn more.
June 2023
Records Move from Chicago to Kansas City
Beginning June 23, 2023, staff at the National Archives at Chicago are moving approximately 11,030 cubic feet of records to the Kansas City area. Learn more.
May 2023
-
Frequently Asked Questions Related to In-Person Research (revised May 15, 2023)