National Archives
The official gateway to U.S. federal records and founding documents.
Archives.gov is the public website for the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. It helps visitors research federal records, request veterans’ service records, explore founding documents, find educator materials, and plan visits to National Archives locations and Presidential Libraries.
Why it stands out
- Operated by the official U.S. federal agency responsible for preserving government records.
- Combines public history, research services, museum information, and records-management resources in one place.
- Includes direct paths for high-demand tasks such as military record requests and founding-document access.
- Serves multiple audiences separately, including citizen archivists, genealogists, educators, federal employees, and records managers.
Good to know
- Its scope centers on U.S. federal records, so state, local, private, or international archives may require other sources.
- Some holdings and research workflows still require an in-person visit or a formal request rather than immediate online access.
- Reproductions, microfilm, and store items may involve purchases even though the website itself is publicly accessible.
Under the radar: Use the “Information For…” section instead of only the main search box; the audience-specific paths for genealogists, citizen archivists, and records managers surface task-focused resources that are easy to miss from the homepage.
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Researchers, genealogists, and educators can use it to locate authoritative U.S. federal historical records and primary-source materials. Request military service records for yourself or a family member. Plan an in-person research trip or museum visit. Find classroom-ready documents and teaching resources. Follow National Archives news, exhibitions, events, and publications.
Search and research entry points for National Archives holdings; veterans’ service record request guidance; educator resources and primary-source teaching tools; access to America’s founding documents; visit planning for the museum, research rooms, and Presidential Libraries; news, events, publications, blogs, forms, and Spanish-language resources.
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Similar sites elsewhere
- Library of Congress — loc.gov
- Digital Public Library of America — dp.la
- Smithsonian Institution — si.edu
- Europeana — europeana.eu
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