National Archives

The National Archives of Panama is a building that holds federal records and official documents from the country's government. The collection includes written materials spanning several centuries of the nation's and colonial past.

The institution was founded in 1912, making Panama the first republic in the Americas with its own archival building. This was an important step in securing and managing the growing document collections of the young nation.

The institution holds documents that span different periods of Panama's past and development. Visitors can observe how government decisions and changes were recorded over generations.

Visitors need formal approval from the Archives Department head and a letter from an institution to view the collections. Advance notice is required to conduct any research within the facility.

The facility offers unrestricted access to all documents from before 1903, including materials from the Spanish colonial period. These earlier records allow researchers to explore the immediate background before the nation became independent.

Location: Calidonia

GPS coordinates: 8.96879,-79.53791

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:22