The Government’s vision for archives in England

The launch of the vision

In 2024, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) commissioned The National Archives to create the Government’s new strategic vision for archives. We partnered with BOP Consulting to carry out an extensive consultation with the sector, which involved in-person roundtable discussions across the country and an online consultation form. We also consulted with a wide range of the sector’s stakeholders, including users of archives.

On 17 April 2026, Baroness Twycross (Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling, and Lords Minister) officially launched the Government’s new vision for archives. We are pleased to now share the full vision with you all.

This vision was co-created by the Archive Sector Leadership team at The National Archives and BOP Consulting.

Ministerial introduction

Our national and local archives steward collections that make up our nation’s memory. They contain stories that bind us, offer insight into our own genealogy, provide inspiration that sparks creative works, and unlock vital data that enable research and effective administration.

By safeguarding our collective knowledge, archives connect individuals to their identities and communities to their shared histories. They preserve the essence of who we are, support social justice and protect our cultural heritage.

Archives provide transparency on past actions, support evidence-based policy making and play a pivotal role in public inquiries that hold decision makers to account. They have an impact on every part of society and underpin our democracy.

This vision for archives in England is an opportunity to recognise everything that archives already do to support society as well as archives’ potential to achieve more. The depth and quality of archives in England is a key national strength and testament to the work of recordkeepers past and present.

In developing this vision, The National Archives has consulted key external stakeholders, archive services, partner organisations and archive users. Thank you to everyone who has played a role in helping forge this vision for the years ahead.

This vision recognises that archives must continue to deliver their integral purpose of collecting, preserving, organising, cataloguing and providing access to records of enduring value. I would also like to thank everyone who painstakingly carries out this important work each day.

In a rapidly changing world, this vision, along with all those working within our archives sector, seeks to secure archives for the future and ensure that everyone sees the relevance of archives to their lives.

Why archives matter

What are records and archives?

Records are sources of information, both physical and digital. Every one of us creates records throughout our lives to keep track of our decisions, mark our achievements or tell our stories. These records could be letters, photographs, diaries or social media posts. All organisations create records too, such as business reports, government policies, court papers, hospital files, patents, emails, maps, datasets, websites, newspapers, leaflets and film recordings.

Archives collect records that are of historic importance from across society and look after these precious records so that we can use them now and in the future. The term ‘archive’ can be used to refer to a collection of records, or the place where these collections are stored.

You’ll find archives wherever you go. There are archives in businesses, charities, societies, arts organisations, universities, libraries, museums, historic houses, public institutions, local communities and government at all levels.

Archives empower people and shape society in countless ways

• Archives enable individuals to uncover their past and better understand their identity, for example, through adoption records, birth certificates and national censuses.
• Archives help people to assert their rights, such as citizenship.
• Archives hold individuals and institutions to account, including by providing crucial evidence in public inquiries and other legal cases.
• Archives help communities to reclaim previously marginalised histories.
• Archives foster a sense of belonging and a connection to those who came before us, deepening our pride in place.
• Archives support excellence in research, formal education and life-long learning.
• Archives enable effective decision-making and inspire innovation in every field, from business and tourism to technology and city planning.
• Archives power the creative industries, inspiring books, plays, films, adverts, music, art and design.

Archives at the heart of society

The foundation of this vision is the integral role of archives at the heart of society.

Our vision is for archives to be valued and preserved as a source of inspiration for everyone. The foundation of this vision is the integral role of archives at the heart of society. Archives preserve the records of our shared past, deepen our understanding of the present, and plant the seeds of inspiration for our future.

To build on archives’ integral role and achieve the vision, we have identified three interconnected strategic themes. These themes represent the key areas that archives must excel in. Archives must be:

Why at the heart of society?

Archives must continue their fundamental work and shine a light on their impact. Archives have an impact on every part of society across the nation, enabling justice, creativity, business, community building, personal identity, wellbeing, research and education.

Yet too often this foundational work is unseen and uncredited. Archives will further raise their profile, increasing awareness of their integral role. Archives will collect more data on their impact and more clearly articulate their value to society, including their many socio-economic, cultural and wellbeing contributions.

Why now?

Without greater recognition of their unique role, archives will remain misunderstood and undervalued, putting records and access at risk. We must not take archives for granted, only realising their importance once they are already lost.

Focusing on advocacy, education, and outreach (both in person and online), archives will highlight the difference they make to the daily life of individuals, institutions, communities and nations. By further raising the profile of their integral role, archives will be able to make stronger cases for investment from their parent organisations and external funders.

What next?

In collaboration with partners, archives will:

• bring more attention to the part they play in empowering individuals and supporting democratic processes, especially major public inquiries
• attract new champions, whether public historians or others, with significant profile to reach wider audiences
• continue to evolve as interactive spaces that engage communities, support researchers and inspire the creative industries
• become more embedded in education and lifelong learning, educating audiences in the use of information
• reach beyond their walls to share the stories they hold and show their relevance to everyone
• develop the confidence and leadership skills to champion new ways of working
• collect more data on their impact and more clearly articulate their value to society, including their many socio-economic, cultural and wellbeing contributions.
• use new measurements to make clearer cases for investment, highlighting the economic, social and cultural benefits to society

Accessible

Why accessible?

Archives must be shared widely and be easy to use to remain integral to our society.

It is through using archives that people can learn, invent, innovate, make decisions, uncover the past, connect with others and achieve justice. Archives must continue to evolve to enable this, sharing collections, engaging communities and embracing hybrid models of physical and virtual access.

New technology brings fresh opportunities as well as challenges. Archives are now often multimedia collections and many are accessible globally. However, users expect jargon-free approaches, simplified searches and intuitive platforms.

Using artificial intelligence has the potential to share archive collections more widely, but cataloguing and digitisation backlogs mean that many collections remain inaccessible. Archives will keep expanding access to their collections and connect with individual users and communities where they are, enriching people’s lives and unlocking the collections’ social, cultural and economic value.

Why now?

We are at a tipping point. Archives are a cornerstone of public and private organisations alike, but each archive is often run by a small team. Limited staffing, unsuitable spaces and incompatible systems threaten the ability of archives to reach their users and to preserve both physical and digital records that users wish to access. Without appropriate cataloguing, storage and conservation work, we risk losing physical records that past generations have left in our care for centuries.

Many born-digital records are already lost. Without action, many more risk being lost forever as records become corrupted or unusable in obsolete formats. In a society that is creating new, often digital, records at exponential rates, this is an urgent challenge to address. Archives will find ways to increase their digital capacity, infrastructure and investment so that our shared history is not lost to humanity for ever.

What next?

In collaboration with partners, archives will:

• continue to develop new approaches, ideas and skills for reaching users onsite and bringing the significance of their collections to life
• use more engagement tools such as social media, podcasts and multimedia projects to expand their reach to a global online audience
• remove barriers to access as appropriate and champion the development of simplified search functions
• assess the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence
• seek out innovative collaborations spanning academic institutions, cultural organisations and technology firms to provide access to an even wider variety of records for all
• increase their digital capacity through training and sector-wide working to protect digital and physical records at risk of loss

Inclusive

Why inclusive?

Archives must be representative and welcoming of everyone to remain integral to all of our lives.

Inclusive archives represent the full diversity of human experience and ensure that all voices are preserved and recognised. They actively seek out and value records from underrepresented communities and others whose histories have often been overlooked, enabling greater wellbeing and a sense of belonging.

This inclusivity not only promotes social justice and equity but also enriches the historical record, making it more accurate, complex, and reflective of the society it serves. Where communities have a say in how their records are collected, managed and used, they are more likely to value and understand archives.

Why now?

Archives have made some progress in this area, supporting a wide range of users in some cases and sharing knowledge across the country through strong networks.

However, archives recognise that there is more to do. Currently, the workforce and collections in archives still lack diversity, limiting engagement and outreach with underrepresented communities, failing to offer career paths which attract and retain diverse talent, and missing opportunities to build societal cohesion. Archives must develop a new approach to breaking down the barriers to working in and using archives.

During a period of global uncertainty and rapid change, archives hold a unique place as custodians of collections which can inform society, hold institutions to account, or provide the raw materials for creative responses and community building. Through the records they collect, archives can show multiple perspectives and give a voice to previously unheard voices. Whether community-led or institutionally managed, archives have the power to strengthen social cohesion, develop pride in a place, and build trust.

What next?

In collaboration with partners, archives will:

• accelerate their work to break down the barriers to archive careers, exploring new career pathways and recruitment practices so that archive teams reflect the diversity of their communities
• promote opportunities for communities to become more involved through co-curation and volunteer programmes
• continue to reach outside their institutions, building connections with marginalised groups
• share knowledge and skills, and collaborate with partners, such as libraries, that address digital exclusion
• ensure that more voices are heard, that collections are increasingly representative of their communities, and that everyone feels welcomed
• foster trust in the authenticity of their collections and develop their reputation as the first port of call for original information

Sustainable

Why sustainable?

Archives of all types must have the necessary funding and conditions to remain integral in the future.

Archives are found in a wide range of organisations, from local authorities, universities and museums to charities, businesses and historic houses. However, despite varying operating and funding models, every type of archive faces resourcing constraints.

Archives epitomise resilience by preserving records beyond the lifetime of the individuals or communities that created them. To maintain this vital work, archives themselves must be financially sustainable.

Archives must be environmentally sustainable too, as there can be no future for archives if there is no future for our planet. Many archives have already started reducing their environmental impact.

Others are contributing positively to the environmental challenge by documenting the impacts of climate change and providing historical data and knowledge to inform national action. However, there is more work to be done to guarantee a sustainable future for archives.

Why now?

Archives in many institutions already operate with lean staffing models and struggle to deliver their existing mission. Budget pressures in all types of organisations and a reliance on short term project funding jeopardise the sustainability of many services.

These financial challenges demand new ways of working, entrepreneurial approaches and focused investment. This is a vision for growth, and securing additional resources by maximising grant opportunities, generating income and partnership working is vital to its success.

The Government will continue to support The National Archives as the sector lead for England, embedding this commitment within The National Archives’ strategy and enabling greater capacity for development.

Although environmentally sustainable solutions can come with significant costs, addressing the challenge of climate change requires action. Solutions can include moving towards energy efficient management of physical collections or mitigating the impact of the burgeoning carbon footprint that new digital records represent. Learning from the progress of other organisations, archives will develop more robust frameworks and long-term strategies that seize opportunities to reduce their environmental impact.

What next?

In collaboration with partners, archives will:

• advocate effectively to their parent organisations and funders outside of the archive sector to secure appropriate and long-term resourcing
• find innovative ways to generate income and leverage the economic potential of records while maintaining the integrity of collections
• work in greater partnership regionally as well as locally, rather than in silos, potentially pooling resources
• develop new strategies to minimise their environmental impact now, including making storage more energy efficient
• produce new guidance on environmental standards and contribute to environmental research and education

Turning vision into action

As the Government lead for the archives sector in England, The National Archives is committed to bringing this new vision to life, championing archives as vital and integral to our society and helping them to become more accessible, inclusive and sustainable.

To achieve the ambitions set out in this strategic vision and to deliver impact in measurable ways, archives must work in partnership together. Archives must address the key challenges head on and make the most of the opportunities that our fast-changing world presents.

What next?

Guided by the Vision Steering Group – a coalition of leading partners and practitioners – The National Archives will develop a robust action plan to deliver on the three strategic themes of this vision.

This plan will have clear goals, measurable outputs and transparent reporting on the progress of the archives sector. Throughout the life of the vision, task groups will be convened to focus on key challenges, spark innovation, and share best practice.

Based on the progress achieved and current circumstances, the action plan will be reviewed every year to show the focus and priorities for delivering the vision.

Archives are invaluable as the heartbeat of our collective memory. They are about every single one of us – we all create records and evidence of our existence, and we all have need of those records. Without them, we lose the thread of who we are – and who we might become.

Imagine a world without archives: no trace of our past, no bridge to our future. Now imagine thriving archives that safeguard our identity, empower our communities, and fuel innovation across culture, education, and democracy.

Protecting today’s records – and tomorrow’s – means protecting our sense of belonging, our cultural heritage, our wellbeing, our democratic rights, and our shared knowledge. Archives are truly at the heart of our society.

Vision steering group members

• Lucy Fletcher (Chair), The National Archives
• Guy Baxter, Museum of English Rural Life (University of Reading)
• Alistair Brown, National Lottery Heritage Fund
• Beth Brunton, The National Archives
• Luke Burton, Arts Council England
• Justin Cavernelis-Frost, Rothschild Archive
• John Chambers, Archives and Records Association
• William Kilbride, Digital Preservation Coalition
• Sophie Lancaster, Arts Council England
• Ian Leete, Local Government Association
• Emma Markiewicz, The London Archives
• Tina Morton, The National Archives
• Arike Oke, British Film Institute
• Alison Petersen, National Railway Museum
• Anna Sexton, Forum for Archives and Records Management Education and Research (FARMER)
• Richard Wragg, Natural History Museum