Arkib Negara Brunei Darussalam

Overview

The Brunei National Archives (Arkib Negara Brunei Darussalam, ANBD) is Brunei's national archival authority, providing records and information management services to government agencies and collecting, preserving, and providing access to the nation's documentary heritage. It operates under the Department of Museums, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

History

The National Archives was established in 1984 under the Brunei National Archives Act, the same year Brunei achieved full independence from the United Kingdom. Because of the long British-Brunei relationship dating to an 1847 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, extensive historical source material on Brunei prior to 1984 is held by The National Archives (UK) in Kew rather than in Brunei itself; researchers of the pre-independence period are directed to that repository.

Collections, Holdings, and Publications

ANBD holds government records and documentary heritage material, including an oral history collection documenting Brunei's history and society, catalogued and made available to researchers. The archive coordinates with the Department of Museums' broader network of museums and heritage sites.

Access and Usage

The National Archives is located in Bandar Seri Begawan and can be contacted directly for records requests; access to government records is coordinated through the Department of Museums.