General State Archives (Greece)

The General State Archives (Γενικά Αρχεία του Κράτους, Genika Archeia tou Kratous) is the national archive of Greece. It is responsible for collecting, preserving, organizing, and making accessible the archival heritage of the Greek state, spanning from the late 18th century to the present day. Its holdings document the political, social, economic, and cultural history of Greece, including records of government ministries, public organizations, private institutions, and prominent individuals.

The Archives' mission encompasses a wide range of activities, including:

• Acquisition: Obtaining archival materials from various sources, both public and private.
• Preservation: Ensuring the long-term survival of archival documents through proper storage and conservation techniques.
• Organization and Description: Arranging and cataloging archival materials to facilitate research and access.
• Access and Dissemination: Providing access to archival materials to researchers, historians, and the general public through reading rooms, online resources, and exhibitions.
• Promotion of Archival Awareness: Promoting the importance of archives for understanding the past and informing the future through educational programs and outreach activities.

The General State Archives maintains a central archive in Athens and several regional archives throughout Greece. These regional archives hold records relevant to the history of their respective areas. Researchers can access archival materials in person at the Archives' reading rooms or, in some cases, through online finding aids and digitized documents. The Archives plays a crucial role in preserving Greece's documentary heritage and making it available for historical research and public understanding.