The National Baha’i Archives were established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States to collect, arrange and preserve archival material, such as historical documents, records, letters, manuscripts, photographs and books.

The archives provide research and reference services to Baha’i institutions and to scholars and historians researching Baha’i history, as well as to individuals who wish to deepen their knowledge of the Baha’i Faith. The archives act as a historical memory and a valuable storehouse of historical, administrative and doctrinal information on the Baha’i Faith.

The holdings of the National Baha’i Archives provide rich and extensive sources of information about many aspects of the growth of the Baha’i Faith in the United States. They include collections with significant material concerning Baha’i activities throughout the world.

The National Baha’i Archives are the official repository of the historical records of the National Spiritual Assembly, the national administrative body of the Baha’i Faith for the continental United States.

History

The National Baha’i Archives were founded in 1903 by the Chicago Baha’i community and were formally established by the National Spiritual Assembly in 1922-23. The National Baha’i Archives office moved into its present quarters in the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Ill., in the 1940s. A professional full-time archivist was hired in 1974; the archives office now has two archivists.

Collections

The National Baha’i Archives have grown to more than 4,400 linear feet of collections. Current collections include the records of the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies, more than 500 collections of personal papers of Baha’is, a photograph collection of more than 17,000 historical photographs, a reference library and collections of audio and video tapes, motion picture films, art works, artifacts and architectural drawings. The collections are housed in storage areas with air conditioning and security systems to provide a safe and secure environment.

Information for researchers

The National Baha'i Archives are located on the lower level of the Baha'i House of Worship, 100 Linden Ave. (corner of Linden Avenue and Sheridan Road), in Wilmette. The office is open by appointment to qualified researchers from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except during an hour for lunch. The archives are closed on holidays and Baha'i Holy Days.

Permission to examine manuscripts, photographs and printed matter held in the Archives will normally be granted to qualified researchers for specific purposes upon application to the archivist and agreement to abide by the archives reading room rules. Such permission is granted subject to whatever restrictions have been placed on specific holdings by their writers, donors or depositors, or by the archivist.

The records in the National Baha'i Archives of the National Spiritual Assembly, its committees and agencies that are less than 50 years old and have not already been made public, are restricted; access to them requires the permission of the National Spiritual Assembly. Researchers desiring to see these records should contact the archives staff about acquiring permission.

Before visiting the National Baha'i Archives, the researcher should write or call to make an appointment and provide the archives with the specific dates he or she would like to visit, as the archives may have unscheduled closings. Visitors may use pencil only in the archives. Hence, researchers should bring a supply of pencils.

As the archives staff is small, we cannot do extensive research for researchers. Instead we recommend they visit the archives. We can do a limited amount of photocopying by mail if researchers have requests for specific documents.

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