Arquivo Público do Estado do Rio de Janeiro APERJ

History and Founding

The Arquivo Público do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (APERJ) was established by Decree No. 2,638 of 25 August 1931, initially named the General Archive of the State (Arquivo Geral do Estado). It was located in Niterói, then the state capital, and charged with receiving, classifying, preserving, and cataloguing the papers and books of the Rio de Janeiro state secretariat, as well as compiling annual catalogues of laws, decrees, and legislative measures. In 1933 its name changed to the Public Archive and University Library (Arquivo Público e Biblioteca Universitária); in 1938 the archive was separated from the library function.

Following the 1975 merger of the states of Guanabara and Rio de Janeiro, the archive was renamed the Arquivo Público do Estado do Rio de Janeiro and moved under the Justice Secretariat. In 1985 the functions of the General Department of Documentation were incorporated into the APERJ. The archive has occupied several premises over its history and since 1998 has been located at Praia de Botafogo 480 in Rio de Janeiro. It is currently an administrative unit within the Secretaria de Estado da Casa Civil.

Collections and Holdings

The APERJ holds approximately 4,000 linear metres of documents of relevance to the study of the history of the state and society of Rio de Janeiro from the second half of the eighteenth century to the present. Collections span a wide range of formats: textual documents, cartographic materials, photographs, microfilm, audiotapes, videotapes, and films, as well as three-dimensional objects such as flags, pennants, and medals. The archive also maintains a specialised library in legislation, history, and archival science.

Thematically, the holdings cover agriculture, diplomacy, political campaigns, communism, crime and punishment, education, slavery, espionage, indigenous peoples, industry, social movements, public works, policing, health, land ownership, transportation, and taxation. Among the most frequently consulted collections are the Political Police of Rio de Janeiro (POL), the Special Delegation on Political Security (DESPS), and the Departamento de Ordem Política e Social (DOPS/RJ and DOPS/GB) from the period of the military dictatorship. The DOPS documentation is recognised in UNESCO's Memory of the World programme.

Access and Usage

The APERJ is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Access is free and open to all citizens and researchers, including those with special needs, upon completion of a registration form. Materials related to the political police files require submission of a specific request form. An online database is available at base.aperj.rj.gov.br. The archive is a member of CONARQ (Conselho Nacional de Arquivos).