State Archive of the Russian Federation

The State Archive of the Russian Federation is a large building complex in Moscow that houses over seven million documents spanning from the 19th century to the present day. The facility includes multiple buildings with dedicated reading and research rooms where visitors can access the historical collections.

The archive was founded in 1992 and inherited collections from the Central State Archive of the October Revolution, established in 1920, and the Central State Archive of the RSFSR. This consolidation created a comprehensive institution uniting materials from various periods of Russian and Soviet history.

The archive holds documents from the Russian Empire period, including personal records of the Romanov family, Soviet-era materials, and papers from modern Russia. These collections reflect how the nation has documented itself through different political eras.

Researchers must schedule appointments through the website and can request up to ten documents per visit. Photography of microfilm materials is permitted, and the facility offers cafeterias and rest areas for extended work sessions.

The institution operates in shifts with designated research hours and is divided into separate buildings, each housing different collections and work areas. This arrangement allows for specialized environments tailored to different types of document research.