National Archives of Tunisia Archives nationales de Tunisie (الأرشيف الوطني التونسي)

Overview

The National Archives of Tunisia (French: Archives nationales de Tunisie; Arabic: الأرشيف الوطني التونسي) is the central state archival institution of the Republic of Tunisia, headquartered in Tunis on the Boulevard du 9 Avril 1938, near the National Library. It is an autonomous public institution under the Prime Ministry.

History and Founding

Archival activity in Tunisia dates to 1874 with the creation of the Centre des correspondances de l'État, which became the Archives générales du gouvernement in 1883. The institution was formally constituted as a public institution in 1988 by Act No. 88-95, and the Director of National Archives, Hedi Jallab, has described this moment as the birth of "modern archiving" in Tunisia. The headquarters moved from the Prime Minister's office to its current purpose-built building in 1999, designed by architects Samy Ateb and Fethi El Bahri. Between 2007 and 2017 the number of visitors to the consultation room increased by approximately 30 percent, reflecting growing public interest following the 2010–2011 revolution.

Collections and Holdings

Holdings include materials generated by the president's office, the prime minister's office, and ministries of agriculture, commerce, culture, education, finance, health, social affairs, and transport. The archives also hold records of the High Court and the State Security Court, and records from the period of the French protectorate. Researchers, including professional historians, lawyers, journalists, and citizens seeking personal documents, may access the collections. A digitized subset of holdings is searchable via the archives' online catalogue.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The archives contain records documenting the management of the press under the French protectorate and post-independence governments, including materials from the National Documentation Centre (founded 1962), which undertook documentary work on the Tunisian press. Records from the High Court and State Security Court document press-related prosecutions.

Access and Usage

The archives are open to citizens, researchers, lawyers, journalists, and the public. The online catalogue is available at the archives' website.