Archivo General de la Nación AGN

History and Founding

The Archivo General de la Nación (AGN) is the national archive of Argentina and one of the most important documentary repositories in Latin America. It was established on August 28, 1821, by Governor Martín Rodríguez as the Archive of the Province of Buenos Aires, and was subsequently nationalized following the federalization of Buenos Aires in 1884. Over the following decades, the institution absorbed numerous historical archives, libraries, and collections. A significant milestone came in 1957, when the materials of the Archivo Gráfico de la Nación (National Print Archive), itself established in 1939, were incorporated into the AGN's holdings.

Facilities

For much of the twentieth century the AGN was housed in a historic but inadequate building at Av. Leandro N. Alem 246. Following years of advocacy by archivists over poor working and storage conditions, the institution relocated to a modern purpose-built facility at Rondeau 2277 in the Parque Patricios neighborhood, constructed on the site of the former Caseros Prison, which is also designated as a Sitio de la Memoria.

Collections and Holdings

The AGN's collections span approximately 17 kilometers of shelf stacks and cover a five-hundred-year period from the colonial era to the early twenty-first century. Written, photographic, and audiovisual materials coexist within the archive. Notable holdings include:

• Colonial and Independence-era documents: Government acts of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, royal decrees, and correspondence from the independence period.
• Photographic collections: An extensive archive of photographs documenting Argentine history from the late nineteenth century onward.
• Periodicals Library: Magazine and newspaper issues from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, of particular value to journalism and media historians.
• Cinema and Media: More than 3,000 films, newsreels, Ampex video tapes, and other audiovisual materials, including archive newsreels from the 1940s.
• Juan Domingo Perón Collection: Approximately 4,000 volumes donated from the statesman's personal library.
• Intermediate Archive: Established in 1979, this section maintains documentation produced by a wide range of state enterprises and administrative bodies.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The AGN's Periodicals Library holds bound runs of Argentine newspapers and magazines from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Its audiovisual holdings, including newsreels and television recordings, constitute a primary resource for researchers studying Argentine media history. The Secretaría Particular fund (1928–1946) includes newspaper clippings from the foreign ministry era, while diplomatic and immigration records contain contemporaneous press references.

Digitization and Online Access

The AGN has undertaken a significant digitization program to democratize access to its collections. Researchers can search digitized audiovisual materials through the institution's online platform. The AGN also uses the open-source AtoM (Access to Memory) application, aligned with international archival description standards ISAAR and ISAD-G, to describe and provide access to its holdings. An immigration database allows searches for individuals who entered Argentina between 1883 and 1937.

Access and Usage

Researchers must book an appointment in advance through the AGN's website, selecting from available time slots (generally 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Visitors are required to present a passport or Argentine national identity document and must wear latex gloves when handling original materials. Free guided tours of the facilities are offered on Tuesdays at noon and can be reserved online. The AGN is a member of UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme.