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A .boston.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the City of Boston.

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System Maintenance
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The City of Boston is experiencing a maintenance update with the Special Item Collection system. Please check back on Wednesday 12/18.

Archives and Records Management

We manage, preserve, and provide access to the municipal government records of Boston. We are a division of the City Clerk’s office.

We develop and carry out citywide policy and procedures for the management of City government records. Our work encourages people to access and use Boston’s archival records.

The records we keep enable people to inspect what Boston municipal government has done, allow officials and agencies to review their actions, and help citizens hold government accountable. Through our work, we guarantee ready access to essential evidence that documents the rights of citizens, the actions of municipal officials, and Boston's historical municipal experience.

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Featured collections

Collections
Building permit plans collection

We hold blueprints, architectural drawings, and Building Inspector reports submitted with applications for new construction and alterations from 1879-1969.

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Neighborhood photograph collections

We digitized more than 3,000 historic photographs of Boston's neighborhoods. Browse these historic images documenting Boston over the centuries.

Oral Histories

With funding from the Council on Libraries and Information Resources (CLIR), we've digitized over 175 oral history recordings from Bostonians across the city. Listen to Bostonians describe their experiences with immigration, the Civil Rights movement, the world wars, the 1918 Flu Pandemic and more. 

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