This resource is held in trust for the public and for future generations. Sorry, original material must only be used in the Archives reference room. Archives are, by definition unique. If they are lost, they cannot be replaced. However, through public outreach programs, such as this web site, archival material can be made widely available without risk to the originals.
Archives can be in any format.
Most of the holdings at the Richmond Archives are textual records, but there are also large numbers of photographs, maps, architectural records, sound recordings and some moving images. The City of Richmond Archives is the official repository for the records of the City government. The Archives also acquires records through donations from individuals, families, organizations, and private companies. Relatively speaking, the Richmond Archives is a very young institution. The idea to establish an Archives was first put forward by the people working on Richmond's centennial celebrations in 1979.