Archivo Central e Histórico Universidad Nacional de Colombia ACH

History and Founding

The Archivo Central e Histórico (ACH) of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia traces its origins to the founding of the university itself in 1867, when Law 66 of September 22 created the then-named Universidad Nacional de los Estados Unidos de Colombia. From the earliest days, the institution established its archive as an instrument of administrative management and historical memory. In 1936, a formal Sección de Archivo y Cartero was organized under the Rectory. The archive underwent successive reorganizations over the following decades: in 1964, a Grupo de Archivo y Correspondencia was consolidated; in 1977, a División de Archivo y Microfilmación was created to address documentary reproduction; and in 1988 it was renamed the División de Archivo y Correspondencia. The current División de Gestión Documental was established in 2014 under the Secretaría de Sede. In 2015, the Bogotá campus archive was moved into newly adapted dedicated premises.

Collections and Holdings

The ACH holds approximately 9 kilometers of archival materials, making it the largest university archive of its type in Colombia. The collection spans from 1664—anchored by a donation from sociologist Orlando Fals Borda—through records of the Universidad Central and the Universidad del Primer Distrito (1803–1866), and on through the founding and growth of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (1867–1997). Holdings include academic records, administrative acts, resolutions, correspondence, faculty records, and institutional plans. Personal archives donated by prominent professors such as Ernesto Gulh, Carlo Federici, and Guillermo Sicard enrich the collection. The archive also holds extensive cartographic materials, including hundreds of architectural plans documenting campus expansion, as well as records of national entities that historically interacted with the university, such as the Sociedad Geográfica Colombiana and the Radio Nacional.

Notable Materials

Of particular relevance to researchers of Colombian intellectual and media history are records documenting the university's relationships with national institutions including the Radio Nacional de Colombia, as well as publications, periodicals, and communications materials produced by the university and related entities across more than 150 years.

Access and Usage

The archive is open to academic, administrative, legal, and general public users. The consultation room is located in Building 103, first floor, at the center of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia's Bogotá campus, adjacent to the main plaza, the Biblioteca Central, and the León de Greiff auditorium. Services include documentary consultation, document transfer, and reprographic services. Researchers can access finding aids, inventories, and document catalogs through the archive's online resources.