Archives New Zealand

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga is the official guardian of New Zealand’s public archives. They gather, store and protect an extremely wide range of material. Their holdings include the originals of the Treaty of Waitangi, government documents, maps, paintings, photographs and film.

The Public Records Act 2005 sets the framework for contemporary recordkeeping across government and Archives New Zealand works with government agencies to administer the Act. Archives New Zealand works to ensure records of long-term value are kept permanently and people have access to these records. Many different people and organisations, including family historians, academics, legal researchers, professional historians and genealogists use the materials held at Archives New Zealand. They document rights and entitlements and provide evidence of government activity.

The materials also record history and document the relationship between Māori and the Crown.