About Us

Historical Background

During the Monarchial period (3rd B.C to 1815 A.D) there had been officers who were in charge of the royal (kings) archives and the 19th century account of Hay Macdowall reveals an officer ‘called Maha Mohotti’ as the officer who maintained the kandyan palace archives during the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1640 archives was housed at Galle and from 1656 to 1796 it was located in Colombo. Systematic archives keeping was introduced by the Dutch who occupied the maritime districts of Sri Lanka from 1640 to1796 A.D. The post of archivist was created in 1901 and the archives which functioned as a part of the Colonial/ Chief Secretaries office during the British period was established as the Department of the Government Archivist in1947. During the Independence Era the National Archives Law No. 48 of 1973 was enacted and the Department was re-named as the Department of National Archives .

Objectives & Functions

The objectives and functions set out in the National Archives Law No. 48 of 1973, and National Archives (Amendment) Act No. 30 of 1981 include.

1. Ensuring official custody and physical safety for public archives and to make them available for reference and study
   
   
2. To conduct Record Surveys in Public Institutions
   
   
3. Administration of Presidential Archives and its reference service
   
   
4. To serve as the legal depository for newspapers and publications printed in the island
   
   
5. To administer Printing presses, Printers and Publishers and Newspapers Ordinances
   
   
6. Training & conducting workshops for Records Management and Conservation
   
   
7. Conservation of records at religious places
   
   
8. Assisting public and private institutions, and individuals in conservation of records