Egypt is very rich, not only in history, but also in ancient artifacts, cultural heritage, and historical documents that are the material products of this history. Preservation of our artifacts is undertaken at two levels: at the country's many museums as well as at the historical sites themselves. The Document preservation system in Egypt is considered the oldest of the world's preservation systems. It has gone through several development stages, the last of which is the creation of the Dar Al-Watha’iq Al-Qawmiyya or the National Archives of Egypt, now responsible for preserving the documents of institutional and governmental origin. Due to the fact that Egypt is a state that has, throughout its long history, been based on institutions, and has witnessed the establishment of all kinds of Diwans, ministries, authorities and bodies, it is unsurprising that the National Archives of Egypt is one of the richest in the world, containing an enormous number of documents dating back to 6th century H. / 12th Century A.D. up till the present day.

The first national archive, in the modern sense of the word, was established in Egypt in 1828, when Mohammed Ali Pasha established the Egyptian Daftarkhana, or House of Documentation, which preserved the Egyptian government records up till 1914 when the Public Records Office was established. In 1932, King Fouad attended to the history of Mohammed Ali pasha’s family by opening the Historical Records Department in Abdeen Palace to collect all the relevant records. Nonetheless, with the 1952 revolution, the Historical Records Department was no longer deemed sufficient to conserve Egyptian documents. The National Historical Archive was therefore established by the Revolutionary government in 1954 for the purpose of “collecting and preserving documents that formulate the material of Egyptian history throughout all eras, facilitating their study, dissemination and publication”.

The viewing of archival documents has been bound by the conditions set forth in Presidential Decree no. 472 of 1979, which stipulated that the viewing is permissible only after the passage of a legal period of 30 to 50 years, after which the archives are automatically made available through loading the indexes of its subjects into the database linked to the official National Archives website. Via the website, researchers can search for specific documents in any number of subjects as listed in the indexes. Digital photos of some of the documents are also available on the website. The originals, however, are to be viewed only through visiting the National Archives Building, after obtaining a permit from the competent Egyptian security authorities.

Services are provided to researchers in the basic fields of: history, documents, and antiquities. Other services are provided in different areas of knowledge, for the National Archives contains documents relating to the history of: astronomy, chemistry, medicine, and music; as well as to political, economic, and social issues.

Individuals interested in obtaining information about legal suits from documents in the National Archives need to apply for official copiesare to the Beneficiaries Service Department.

1. Research:
   It is one of the most important services provided by the National Archives to researchers desiring to view old documents for scientific purposes.
2. Internet:
   It is a free service provided for researchers to access the information network of the National Archives.
3. Translation and Publication Services:
   Since the earliest days of the National Archives in Egypt, documents originally written in foreign languages such as Turkish, English, French, Italian and German have been made available through translation into Arabic or any other foreign language, in full or abridged.
4. Students and Trainees Services:
   Scholars from other countries and university students are welcomed to use the resources of the National Archives of Egypt; and especially students of university documentation and history departments, where they can be practically trained on classification, and archiving; and make use of the services provided by the National Archives staff.
5. Individual and Corporate Services:
   Archive employees in ministries, institutions, and other governmental bodies may receive internal or external training by the National Archives staff in cataloging and archival administration. Copies of legal documents and other material may also be made available in return for a fixed fee to be paid to a specialized department.

1. To establish rules for documents’ preservation.
2. To designate documents for publication, as well as other forms of publication.
3. To decide which documents are to be transferred to the National Archives.
4. To decide which documents are of historical value.
5. To specify conditions of viewing and photocopying after obtaining an official permit from the Minister of Culture.
6. To decide about the disposal of records of government ministries.
7. To set the National Archives’ rules of procedure.