Archives New Zealand is New Zealand's national archive and the official guardian of its public archives. As the government's recordkeeping authority, it administers the Public Records Act 2005 and promotes good information management throughout government.
On 29 July 1952, fire ripped through the Hope Gibbons Building in Wellington, destroying much of New Zealand's public records.
Archives New Zealand National Office in Wellington
Archives New Zealand Christchurch Office
Archives New Zealand Dunedin Office
National archives are the archives of a country. The concept evolved in various nations at the dawn of modernity based on the impact of nationalism upon bureaucratic processes of paperwork retention.
"Although the most basic and essential task of a national archives is to serve the interests of the government itself, and to preserve and make available evidence protecting the rights of citizens, it has other responsibilities of far-reaching importance. Foremost among these is its role as a source of enlightenment an improvement for all segments of society."
Since its creation, the Archives Nationales has been purposed to making records available to the people.
Bernardino Rivadavia said the "conservation of the archives of a country assures without doubt for history the most accurate materials and documents relating to it."
