Archives of Manitoba
About Us
Manitoba's rich documentary past is accessible to you at the Archives of Manitoba. You will discover a treasure of information about Manitobans and their history.
The holdings of the Archives of Manitoba are a rich resource for the study of the history of Manitoba and its people, as well as the history of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). There are two primary centres of acquisition at the Archives, these being Government and Private Sector Archives (GPSA) and the Hudson's Bay Company Archives (HBCA). The Archives of Manitoba belongs to the people and the province, but serves an ever-expanding national and international clientele. We invite you to take advantage of the resources we offer.
The Archives of Manitoba acquires records of all media, including textual records, still images, sound and moving images, documentary art, cartographic records and architectural records. Search the Keystone Archives Descriptive Database for descriptions of archival records.
- Government and Private Sector Archives (GPSA) is responsible for the archival records of the Manitoba government as well as records of the Manitoba private sector and of municipalities and school districts/divisions.
- Records of the Manitoba government: Since Manitoba became a province in 1870, public officials have created and received records in the course of carrying out their duties. Some of these records have permanent value and are preserved in the Archives of Manitoba as part of the archival heritage of the province. They document political and legal decisions, the evolution of provincial administration, the interaction between the government and its citizens, and provide key evidence of the rights and responsibilities of Manitobans. The archival records of the Manitoba government include the records of the Legislative Assembly, government departments and agencies, crown corporations, commissions of inquiry and the courts.
- Records of the private sector: GPSA acquires and preserves the records of individuals, organizations and community groups in Manitoba to ensure that a primary record of the province's history will be available for current and future generations. The holdings, which date from the Red River Settlement days to the more recent past, include correspondence, journals and diaries, organizational records, photographs, posters and documentary art, moving image and sound recordings (including oral histories), cartographic and architectural plans.
- Records of municipalities and school districts/divisions: GPSA acquires and preserves the records of Manitoba municipalities and school divisions/ districts.
- The Hudson's Bay Company Archives (HBCA) is the official repository for the records of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). Founded by Royal Charter in 1670, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) is the oldest chartered trading company in the world. Meticulous records were kept, leaving a legacy of information of tremendous significance documenting the growth and expansion of the Hudson's Bay Company in the vast territories of Rupert's Land, through the fur trade and exploration and the later development of a retail empire.
The Archives of Manitoba is a leader in promoting good recordkeeping, and in preserving and providing access to records of enduring value. Under the authority of The Archives and Recordkeeping Act, the Archives of Manitoba has the exclusive mandate to preserve the archival records of the government and its agencies, the courts and the legislature. The legislation provides for the acquisition of archival records of organizations and individuals in the Manitoba private sector and local public bodies. We are proud to be the repository of the world-renowned Hudson's Bay Company Archives.
The Archives of Manitoba preserves recorded information of all media, and provides access to that information. Our mission is to protect information of fundamental significance to community identities, well being and individual and collective self-knowledge. The Archives documents the mutual rights and obligations entered into by society and those whom the people choose to govern.
