National Archives 100

3 March 2020 will mark 100 years from the day seven men began to establish the national archives – the unified system for preserving our national written heritage. After a consultation on 3 March 1920, the Commission of Archives established the National Central Archives in Tartu to store historically important documents, and the National Archives in Tallinn was established for storing documents regarding working establishments. What the Commission of Archives established can be seen as the first step towards providing comprehensive solutions for the collection, preservation and use of archived documents and creating a trusting relationship between establishments and archives.

Today’s National Archives has evolved from the two former archives, carrying the idea of a nationwide archive from 100 years ago that was fulfilled with the Archives Act in 1998. The collections of National Archives include nearly 10 million unique archived documents from the 13th century to the present day, whether on paper or digital, as a text, photo or map, as sound or film, for professionals and amateurs alike in both at home and around the world.