Repositorio Documental Digital Archivo General de la Nación (RDD-AGN)

Overview

The Repositorio Documental Digital (RDD) is the online digital repository of the Archivo General de la Nación (AGN) of Mexico, providing global online access to digitized historical documents from the AGN's collections. Launched in 2023, the RDD makes available for the first time significant portions of the AGN's holdings to users worldwide.

History and Background

The Archivo General de la Nación was established by royal decree of King Carlos IV on 28 April 1792, making it one of the oldest national archives in the Americas. The AGN is housed in the Palacio de Lecumberri (also known as the Palacio Negro), a former federal penitentiary inaugurated in 1900 and converted to the AGN's use by presidential decree on 26 May 1977. A modern laboratory and storage building was constructed adjacent to the original structure during 2012–2013. The AGN serves as the regulatory body for archival practice in Mexico and holds over 52 linear kilometers of documentary materials. The online Repositorio Documental Digital was made available as of 2023, providing digitized access to select major collections.

Collections and Holdings

The RDD provides access to several of the AGN's major document groups, including the Inquisition collection (colonial-era ecclesiastical records), the Tierras collection (land records and maps), and the Indios collection (documents relating to Indigenous communities), with materials dating from the 16th century onward. The broader AGN holds over 5 million photographic items, manuscripts signed by Hernán Cortés, the Mexican Act of Independence (1821), successive national constitutions, and presidential archives from Francisco I. Madero forward. The overall repository also includes maps, plans, illustrations, audio, video, and additional documentary formats.

Access and Usage

The Repositorio Documental Digital is freely accessible at repositorio.agn.gob.mx. Users can browse and search digitized collections online. For materials not yet digitized, in-person research at the AGN in Mexico City is required by appointment.