Recommended Online Archives- Ongoing List
Last Updated: 10/20/2024
Here is a list of online archives I recommend for conducting historical research. These sites have helped me countless times. This list is ongoing, and I will continue to add to it.
The Internet Archive- Archive.org website: Archive.org is arguably the best historical research resource on the internet. It is a massive archive containing historical collections, documents, books, videos, sound files, and so much more. You can search the Wayback Machine too if you’re looking for archived web pages. Use the search tool to look for certain keywords, or you can use the search bar to search for text contents across their website. If you do a text search you will get hits for your keyword in all their collections, including individual books. With character recognition for their books, you can do a detailed search in any book or document you select. This is AMAZING.
Archive-It- Archive-it website: This site stands as an archiving site for anyone looking to create online collections pertaining to cultural preservation. You can search by institution, or keyword. You can search countless museums, universities, non-profits, government organizations, and more.
HathiTrust- HathiTrust site: HathiTrust is a collaborative effort between academic and research libraries around the world. This collection is massive! It is a fully searchable archive of documents and other resources. This site is a lifesaver!
National Library of Medicine- NLM site: When writing my dissertation on Civil War Medicine, this site was vital. Of course, this site will be for you IF you’re researching historical or scientific or medical topics.
WorldCat- WorldCat site: If you want to find out where primary sources are located, or what primary sources exist for your topic, this is the site. WorldCat shows you what archives or institutions are holding the sources you need. This site can also help you find digitized items. There is a similar site titled ArchiveGrid here. Both sites work the same way! This is a great way to start researching any topic.
U.S. National Archives- NARA Site: I know this one is pretty far down the list. Of course, this is a go to for conducting historical research. The only downside is the confusion that ensues using the site. It is not really organized well and can be frustrating to use. The site has a lot of digitized items, but it’s a tiny fraction of what they have if you go to the National Archives. I wouldn’t depend on this if you’re trying to do deep research from home. If you can go to the National Archives for research, it is an incredible experience. You can order items from them, but it’s expensive and takes forever to get anything. It runs like a government organization unfortunately. There have been times I’ve contacted them and didn’t hear back for months, like SIX months. You can order microfilm reels, but their ordering system is incredibly confusing, and each reel is over $100. There is another way to conduct research at the archives. You can hire a researcher who knows the archive and lives locally. They will copy whatever info you need, but it is very pricey. If are trying to do original research for a book-length project, then hiring a researcher is probably unrealistic. If you want records for ancestry research, or some snippets of info then this is probably better than driving to the archives.
Library of Congress- LOC site: Same as the National Archives. There is a ton of information here, and it’s a great start. There is a lot of digitized material here that you can check out, but it can be confusing to use.
Library and Archives of Canada- LAC Site- This site is incredible. You can get lost for days researching here. I’ve used this to research Canadian WWI units. There’s so many digitized records here! It’s relatively easy to use and if you get confused or lost then use their research guide here. I found my grandfather’s WWI records here, including X-Rays taken after he was wounded during the war. If you want to do any research on Canada, or WWI, this is a great place to start. Unfortunately, many of the British WWI records were destroyed during the Battle of Britain during WWII, so the Canadian archives can help you fill in some holes if you’re doing research on WWI.
The Travel Film Archive- Travel Film Archive Site- This archive is a great place to head down a rabbit hole. You have to sign up for a free account to gain access to a mountain of archival footage. You can travel around the world and through time at once! I highly recommend. This is a great spot to find inspiration for some writing, content making, or research project ideas.
Quick List of more Resources:
Westpoint Archives (US Military Academy)
US Army Center of Military History
National WWII Museum Archives & Collections
Imperial War Museum Archives (Collections)
United Kingdom National Archives
Smithsonian Institution Online Virtual Archives
Mercer University Archive Research Guide (A great list of archives!)
Digital Public Library of America
The Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Library of Congress Digital Collections
Library of Congress World Digital Collections
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers
Private Voices (Civil War Letters Collection): Written primarily by Civil War Privates
Notes: This list is ongoing and nowhere near exhaustive. Check back periodically for more sites!