Cine-Photo Documentation Branch Branch Office for Cinema-Photo-Phono Documents National Archives of Armenia

History and Founding

The Central State Archive of Cine-Photo Documentation of Armenia was created in 1943 by decree of the People's Commissariat of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1993, following Armenian independence, it was renamed the National Film Library of Armenia. Since 2005, it has operated as a branch of the National Archives of Armenia, now formally known as the Branch Office for Cinema-Photo-Phono Documents and Insurance Copies of the National Archives of Armenia.

Collections and Holdings

The archive holds approximately 225,000 files, comprising cinema and photo materials along with associated paper documents such as film scenarios and montage papers. It houses the country's largest collection of fiction and documentary films, including the majority of output from the Hayfilm, Yerevan, and other state cinema and television studios. The photography section is also the most extensive in Armenia, including photo archives from many state institutions and valuable photographic images related to Armenia's modern history. According to recent reports, the photographic collection is undergoing digitization to enable web-based public access.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The archive holds extensive newsreel and documentary film collections, as well as photographs documenting Armenian public and political life throughout the Soviet period and into the present. The collection includes materials from Armenian state television studios.

Access and Usage

Access to the archive is available by special permission from the National Archive of Armenia's central office. Researchers must present an official letter from a university or research institution addressed to the General Director. The archive is located at Tbilisyan Highway 25a, Arabkir district, Yerevan, and is open Monday through Friday, 09:00–18:00 (with a lunch break 13:00–14:00).