About the National Archives
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. Learn more
Spotlight on National Archives History
The National Archives and Records Administration became an independent federal agency in 1985. Learn about how the archives came into independence in a video panel discussion about our journey.