About Us
What are archives?
Archives are the documentary memory of a society. They are the accumulated documentary evidence of the lives and activities of individuals, businesses, associations and governments that comprise our histories. Without them we would have no record of our past, no understanding of our present and no foundation for our future.
The Provincial Archives of Alberta preserves and makes available private and government records of all media related to the province, and serves as the permanent archival repository of the Government of Alberta. Archival records contribute to the collective memory and sense of Alberta identity for present and future generations.
The Provincial Archives collection includes:
- 61,097 metres of government textual records
- 6,212 metres of private textual records
- 159,900 maps, plans and drawings
- 2,385,209 photographs
- 88,020 objects of audiovisual holdings including film, video and audio recordings
- 18,041 resource library books
In addition to operating according to Alberta's Historical Resources Act, the Provincial Archives has responsibilities under the authority of the Government Organization Act, Records Management Regulation, which provides for archival appraisals as part of the records management process within the Government of Alberta.