Planning a Research Visit
About the Archival Research Room
The Archival Research Room is dedicated to providing the public access to the National Archives at St. Louis accessioned records holdings. Such access allows an understanding of our nation's cultural heritage and provides genealogists, researchers, and the general public a look into the individual histories of those who have served their country, whether in a military or civilian capacity.
Our holdings include Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) for service members who separated from military service 62 years from today’s date (i.e. a veteran was separated from military service on March 3, 1961. Add 62 years to the separation date and the record is available to the public on March 3, 2023) and Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) for federal civil servants whose employment ended before 1952. Records for military or federal civil servants after these time periods are not yet open to the public.
The National Archives in St. Louis also provides access to other series that relate directly to the documentation of military service. See our Frequently Requested Records page for more information.
Contacting the Archival Research Room
Hours
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed weekends and Federal Holidays
Mailing Address
National Archives at St. Louis
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138
Email Address
Phone Number
(314) 801-0850
Email is the best form of contact. Your questions will be answered more expeditiously and you will be able to make scheduling adjustments more efficiently using this form of contact.
Record Availability:
Researchers are encouraged to submit record requests in advance. Appointments are required to ensure record availability due to record location, condition, and staffing. Many record series cannot be viewed the same day they are requested. Some records are held in an offsite annex or require preservation treatment due to the fire of 1973. Please coordinate with the Archival Research Room when submitting requests to ensure all necessary information is provided. Appointments may be made via Eventbrite.
Special Projects:
Special Projects are negotiable with research room staff. Please contact stlarr.archives@nara.gov for any Special Project inquiry.
Making Copies | Taking Photographs | Digital Imaging
Photocopiers
There are self-service copiers available for use during onsite visits.
Scanners
ONLY flatbed scanners are allowed.
Two overhead digital image scanners are available. It is the responsibility of the researcher to provide a data storage device (USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) for the scans made during the research visit.
Camera/Phone Stands
We will provide camera stands for researchers who wish to bring cameras during their visit.
Associated Fees
|
On-Site Service |
Fee |
|---|---|
|
Self-service paper to paper |
$0.25/page |
|
Self-service scan |
Free; depending on equipment availability |
|
Self-service microfilm to paper |
$0.40/page |
|
Microfilm to Digital Copy |
$4.00 per copy |
Payment by Bank account (ACH), Amazon account, PayPal account, Debit or credit card is accepted via pay.gov portal. As of Jan 2, 2019 we no longer accept cash. We apologize for any inconvenience.