Visiting the Archives

Information and Tips for Visitors 

If you are planning a trip to the NWT Archives, a good first step is to contact NWT Archives ahead of your visit. If you provide a statement about your research interests, NWT Archives staff may be able to assist in identifying possible sources within our holdings prior to your visit. If you have already identified materials that you would like to view, please provide catalogue numbers so your materials can be ready upon your arrival. As some of the NWT Archives holdings are stored off-site and reading room space may also be limited, contacting staff before your visit will ensure you can be accommodated. 

Reading Room

The Reading Room is open by appointment. Please contact the NWT Archives at nwtarchives@gov.nt.ca or call (867) 767-9347 ext. 71211

Archival Research

All archival research is conducted in the NWT Archives reading room, located in the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre near downtown Yellowknife. Please be advised that no food or drink is allowed in the reading room. The building is not equipped with WiFi, but there are public computer terminals with Internet access for research.

When viewing archival materials, we ask that they be handled with the utmost care. Most essentially, we ask researchers to:

  • Use cloth gloves provided by the NWT Archives when handling the materials;
  • Refrain from marking archival documents, or using sticky notes or ink pens in the reading room; and
  • Keep all documents in the order in which they are provided to you.

Photocopying

The NWT Archives does provide photocopying and scanning services for archival documents; however, please be advised that depending on the condition of the materials, photocopying and scanning may not be possible. There is a $0.25 fee per page for photocopying and scanning.

The NWT Archives also allows the use of digital cameras to capture images of archival documents; however we ask that the material be handled with care, that no flash be used, and that each page be cited properly.

Reference Library

Visitors are also permitted to view books from the NWT Archives reference library. Please be advised that it is a non-circulating library, and we do not allow books to be checked out.

These publications are searchable within the NWT Library Services online catalogue by selecting ”PWNHC Reference Library” in the drop-down menu.

Contact Us

If you have further questions or concerns, or if you are ready to start planning your visit, please contact the NWT Archives at nwtarchives@gov.nt.ca or call (867) 767-9347 ext. 71211