Archives Statistics Breakdown
The National Archives, a key institution for preserving government and historical records, continues to grow and evolve in its mission to serve the public. With a vast and diverse archival collection spanning over five centuries, the Archives now manages millions of records from both physical and digital sources.
The National Archives maintains a significant online presence, with 19 Instagram accounts boasting a total of 124,000 followers. The Archives also has a strong presence on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, reaching a combined total of 249,000 followers. In addition, the Archives operates 37 external websites, including Archives.gov, the National Archives Catalog, History Hub, Presidential Library websites, archived WhiteHouse.gov websites from prior administrations, and various public websites.
The Archives' permanent archival holdings are extensive, encompassing 13.5 billion pieces of paper, more than 725,000 artifacts, over 450 million feet of film, 41 million photographs, 40 million aerial images, 10 million maps, charts, and architectural/engineering drawings, and over 33 billion electronic records. In 2024, the Archives accessioned 88,498 cubic feet of analog records and 463 terabytes of electronic records into the permanent archival collection.
The Archives' digital assets are a growing focus, with the Archives emphasizing the importance of increasing digital access and preservation. This includes large-scale digital releases such as the 1921 Census, called the UK’s largest ever online release of historical records. The Archives has strategic objectives aimed at reimagining archival practice for the digital age, pioneering new techniques in appraisal, selection, description, digital preservation, and access to ensure the long-term availability of its digital collections.
Collaborative AI and machine learning projects have been initiated to improve digital record selection and processing efficiency, handling complex and numerous digital formats and helping government departments transfer digital records securely to the Archive. Digital primary source collections connected to or incorporating National Archives materials include access to millions of pages and over 160 million historical items in digital databases used worldwide for research, with availability through various online platforms until at least June 2026.
In FY25, the National Archives Catalog had 93 million page views, and in FY24, it had 86 million page views. The Archives' research rooms have been active, with 278,469 items furnished in 2024 and 45,144 research visits in the same year. In addition, the Archives fulfilled 1,603,870 requests for veterans records and 84,241 off-site reference requests in 2024.
The Archives also maintains 27 public research rooms and has completed over 725,000 general reference requests in 2023. More than 1.5 million Official Military Personnel File reference requests were completed in St. Louis in 2023. The Archives manages 26 million cubic feet of agency records and has 2,712 staff members.
The National Archives also plays a role in education, with 623,344 attendees at Education and Public Programs at the Presidential Libraries and New York and Kansas City locations in 2024. The Archives had 2,122,359 museum visitors in 2024.
In addition to its physical holdings, the Archives has 18.6 million digital images in the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), 1.82 million NARA images in Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons, and 402,609,685 pages digitized in the National Archives Catalog as of July 31, 2025. The Archives continues to prioritize the digitization and preservation of its collection to ensure accessibility for future generations.
The National Archives enhances public engagement by showcasing its historical records on various social-media platforms, demonstrating technology's role in expanding archival access. The Archives' digital assets, including numerous digital images and historical records in databases, are aimed at providing entertainment and education for a global audience until at least June 2026.
