What is NARA?
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides core government functions necessary to preserve, protect, and make accessible records from all three branches of the federal government.
Americans' stories cannot be told without access to federal records. NARA ensures the preservation and documentation of the lives of everyday Americans. People from all walks of life served in the military, gained freedom, immigrated and naturalized, and were enumerated in the census. NARA's records help individuals understand their roots and find their place within American history. NARA promulgates archival best practices, influencing preservation in all US states and territories, as well as across the world.
NARA has the responsibility of scheduling / monitoring all active federal records, ensuring that agencies properly maintain today's records so they will be available for future researchers to use. These actions have preserved some of America's greatest achievements and its hardest moments.
NARA publishes the Federal Register, the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. NARA also publishes the Code of Federal Regulations, the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government. These responsibilities ensure government transparency and the ability for citizens to hold the government accountable for its actions.
NARA operates facilities located in 17 states and the District of Columbia:
- 13 NARA locations
- 17 Presidential Libraries (14 physical, 3 virtual)
- 16 Federal Records Centers (some share location with NARA regional facility)
- 2 National Personnel Records Centers (military and civilian)1
The diverse locations of Federal Record Centers and National Archive regional branches support the needs of federal departments and agencies located in those areas, as well as researchers who need access to specific records based on geography.
In addition to physical research and storage facilities, the National Archives Catalog received 86 million page views in 2024. View more NARA statistics at National Archives by the Numbers.