What is the National Archives of Australia?
The National Archives of Australia keeps important records of the Australian Government, from Federation documents to military service records. Its main public building is in Canberra.
The archives hold millions of records, including Cabinet papers, immigration files, maps, photographs and films. Many are available to the public once they reach the open access period.
Treasures include the original 1900 Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act and the Royal Commission of Assent.
Service and family history
The archives hold service records for Australians who served in the First World War, which have been digitised and can be searched online for free. Family historians use them to trace ancestors.
Its Canberra public building, East Block in the Parliamentary Triangle, hosts exhibitions and a reading room. It is close to Old Parliament House and the National Library.
The archives have reading rooms in other capital cities, and much of the collection can be searched online through its RecordSearch database. Each year, the release of Cabinet papers from two decades earlier attracts media attention, as journalists and historians study what governments discussed behind closed doors.
Did You Know?
Cabinet papers are generally released to the public after 20 years.