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Archives

Overview

The Archives Branch of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive repositories of Holocaust-related records. The collection, which consists of nearly 42 million pages of records, includes the following:

• Microform reproductions of materials held by state and private archival institutions in virtually every European country, including the countries of the former Soviet Union occupied by the German armed forces, as well as materials from the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Israel, Australia, China, Japan, Cuba, and the United States
• Personal papers, memoirs, and testimonies of Holocaust survivors, victims, liberators, historians, artists, and staff of the International Military Tribunal
• Video and audio tapes of oral histories
• Film and video of historical moving images
• Photographs
• Recorded sound and music

The topics covered by the archival collections include:

• Anti-Jewish policy in Nazi Germany and Austria, including the despoliation of Jewish property
• Refugees
• Nazi occupation policies and conditions in occupied Europe
• The creation and administration of ghettos
• The deportations and mass executions of Jews and other targeted groups
• The treatment of Jews and other targeted groups in countries allied with Nazi Germany
• The construction and administration of concentration camps
• Resistance activities
• War crimes trials and trial evidence
• Restitution

Online Catalogs

• Library and Archival Collections (including oral history and film)
  A combined catalog of published materials available in the Museum’s Library, and unpublished archival materials available in the Museum’s Archives. The published materials include books, serials, videos, CDs and other media. The unpublished archival materials include microfilm and microfiche, paper collections, photographs, music, and video and audio tapes.
• Archival Guide to the Collections
  A general overview of the collections of textual records available in the Museum’s Archives.
• Archival Finding Aids
  Detailed inventories and finding aids that have been produced for selected collections in the Museum’s Archives.
• Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive
  This catalog provides access to the Museum’s comprehensive collection of historical films documenting the Holocaust and World War II. Locate film clips and shot descriptions of over 1000 hours of footage.
• American Friends Service Committee Collection
  Search the Guide to Names from the American Friends Service Committee Collection and find copies of the original documents.

Hours and Location

The U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives is open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed on all Federal holidays, Yom Kippur, and Christmas Day. The last pull for archival collections is at 3 p.m. The Archives is located on the Fifth Floor of the Museum building and is accessible by the elevator near the 14th Street entrance. All visitors must sign in at the security desk located in the Fifth Floor lobby.

Weekend Visitation

Researchers wanting to use archival collections on a weekend must contact a Museum archivist by 3 p.m. of the Friday prior to the weekend visit. Please note that only oral history tapes and microfilmed collections are available for use on weekends. These materials are only available under staff supervision during the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Appointments and Researcher Registration

Appointments prior to visiting the Archives are not required, but they are strongly encouraged. Some materials are stored off site and at least one week advanced notice must be given to use them. In order to examine archival collections, researchers are required to fill out a Research Application form. Valid photo identification, which includes the researcher’s current address (e.g. a passport or driver’s license) is required.

Other Procedures

Visitors may bring only the following items into the Library and Archives reading room: money for photocopies, notebooks, papers, and laptop computers for note taking. Other personal belongings, including briefcases, bags, umbrellas, and coats, must be stored in lockers provided near the security desk. The use of cell phones is not permitted in the Library and Archives reading room.

Fees for Reproduction »

Donations

The Archives Branch seeks to augment its collection of personal papers, oral history, music and sound recordings, films, and original photographs related to the Holocaust. If you have such materials and are willing to donate them to the Museum, please contact the Archives at (202) 488-6113.

Contact us at:

Archives Reference Desk
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW
Washington, DC 20024-2126
Tel.: (202) 488-6113
E-mail: archives@ushmm.org