National+Archives

=About the National Archives =

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever. Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching an historical topic that interests you.

Resources for the General Public
We have more than 9 billion paper records, 30 million photographs and close to t3 million maps and charts, all stored in more than 30 buildings around the country. These historical documents are available to you in our exhibits and research rooms.