National Archives at College Park (Archives II)

National Archives at College Park (Archives II)
Name	National Archives at College Park (Archives II)
Location	College Park, Maryland
Opened	1994
Owner	National Archives and Records Administration

Contents

National Archives at College Park (Archives II) is a major archival facility of the National Archives and Records Administration located in College Park, Maryland. It was created to expand archival storage and research capacity beyond the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. and to house specialized collections from agencies such as the Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency, and the Department of State. The facility supports researchers, historians, journalists, legal professionals, and federal agencies working with records related to landmark events like the Cold War, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement.

History

Archives II was conceived during efforts to relieve space constraints at the National Archives Building after the accumulation of records from World War II, the Korean War, and the growth of federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. During the late 20th century, administrations under presidents such as Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton grappled with records management crises exemplified by controversies involving the Watergate scandal and the handling of presidential papers like those of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. The site in College Park, Maryland was selected to enable secure holdings of material from the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Central Intelligence Agency, and the facility opened to researchers to complement holdings at the John F. Kennedy Library and the Library of Congress.

The complex was designed with high-security stacks, climate-controlled storage, and specialized reading rooms to support fragile records from institutions such as the National Security Agency, the Department of State, and the Treasury Department. Architectural elements reflect influences seen in federal buildings like the National Archives Building and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center while incorporating technical systems comparable to those at the Smithsonian Institution conservation facilities. The site includes research rooms, processing laboratories influenced by practices at the Library of Congress Preservation Directorate and secure vaults used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for evidence storage. Its location in Prince George's County, Maryland places it near academic partners such as the University of Maryland, College Park.

Archives II holds records from numerous federal organizations including the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Social Security Administration. Holdings encompass text records, maps, photographs, audiovisual materials, classified files now declassified, and electronic records relating to events like the Gulf War, the Vietnam War, and operations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Collections include records from figures and offices associated with Harry S. Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and policy documents tied to treaties such as the Treaty of Paris (1783) in comparative archival analyses. Archival series from agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are also present for scientific and technical research.

Researchers access Archives II via established procedures similar to those at the National Archives Building and research centers like the Adams National Historical Park and the Kennedy Presidential Library. Services include reference consultations, reproduction services, and digital access initiatives coordinated with partners like the Digital Public Library of America and the Library of Congress. The facility supports academic research by scholars of figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou, Noam Chomsky, and institutions including the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court of the United States for legal and historical scholarship. Access to classified or sensitive holdings follows protocols observed in interagency arrangements with the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council.

Preservation activities at Archives II include paper stabilization, film rehousing, audio preservation, and digital forensics similar to protocols practiced at the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress. Conservators apply treatments used in cases involving degraded nitrate film found in collections from the early 20th century and manage born-digital records using methodologies promoted by organizations like the Society of American Archivists and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Collaborative programs with the American Institute for Conservation and university laboratories help address challenges from environmental threats and chemical deterioration encountered in collections from agencies such as the Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

While not primarily a public museum, Archives II contributes to exhibitions, educational programs, and fellowships associated with institutions like the National Archives Building, the National Museum of American History, and the National Portrait Gallery. Public programming includes seminars on presidential records related to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt and curated displays of declassified materials tied to incidents like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Iran-Contra affair. Outreach partnerships with the National Coalition for History, the American Historical Association, and regional schools support internships, speaker series, and digital exhibits showcased through platforms such as the Digital Public Library of America.

Administration of the facility is overseen by the National Archives and Records Administration headquarters with collaboration from federal agencies including the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of State, and the General Services Administration. Partnerships extend to academic institutions like the University of Maryland, College Park, professional organizations such as the Society of American Archivists, and international archival networks including the International Council on Archives. Cooperative agreements with the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and state archives support digitization, interlibrary loans, and training initiatives.

Category:Archives in the United States Category:Buildings and structures in Prince George's County, Maryland