El Salvador Archives and Libraries

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Archives[edit | edit source]

El Salvador Archives are intended to store, collect and preserve the original documents of a number of Church and Government organizations. Many of the historical records have been compromised through the years due to lack of resources, fires, and civil/military unrest. Due to these factors and many others, the research possibilities in the country may present a significant challenge to any researcher. Aldo Lauria-Santiago explained some of those possibilities as well as some of those challenges.[1]
According to Lauria-Santiago, the archival sources in El Salvador can be separated into the following:

  • The National Archives
  • Asamblea Nacional
  • Ministries and other Government Offices
  • Census Materials
  • Catholic Church Archives
  • Universidad Centroamericana (UCA)
  • Biblioteca Nacional
  • Municipal Materials

The National Archives
Old Palacio Nacional
Centro Histórico
Avenida Cuscatlán
San Salvador, El Salvador

Researchers should first contact the Historical Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and provide a letter from their sponsoring university or institution.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Historical Archive
Final 17ª Avenida Norte
Plan Maestro Centro de Gobierno
Anexo “B” Edificio Número 2
San Salvador, El Salvador

Central American Archives
4th Avenue, 7th and 8th Streets, Zone 1
Guatemala City, Guatemala

This History of the General Archive of Central America located in Guatemala gives more detail on the types of records held.
Accessing the CRL Collections Information on borrowing records
"The Archivo General de Centroamérica (Central American Archives) 1544-1821, in Guatemala, is the most comprehensive collection found anywhere in the world of historical records spanning the period of Spanish rule in the Americas. The holdings of the Archivo include myriad types of documents covering a host of cultural, legislative, judicial, fiscal, economic, religious, military, agricultural and commercial matters pertaining to the Kingdom of Guatemala, an area which, from the time of the Conquest in 1544 through 1821, embraced modern-day Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and the Mexican State of Chiapas."[2]

Libraries[edit | edit source]

National Library of El Salvador (Biblioteca Nacional)
4 Calle Ote
4a Calle Poniente
8A Avenida Norte
Centro Historico
San Salvador, El Salvador
Telephone: (503) 2221 6312
Email: bibliotecanacionales@gmail.com

University of El Salvador Library
End of Av.Martires and Heroes of July 30
San Salvador, El Salvador
Telephone: (503) 2511-2000
Email: biblioteca.central@ues.edu.sv

Museums[edit | edit source]

For a list of museums in El Salvador, go to List of museums in El Salvador in Wikipedia.

David J. Guzman National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropologia)
Avenida La Revolucion y Alameda Manual Enrique Araujo
San Salvador, El Salvador
Telephone: (503) 2243 3750/2275 5090/2243 3927

East Regional Museum (Museo Regional de Oriente)
Centro de Gobierno Departamental
8ª Avenida Sur y 15A Calle Oriente
San Miguel, El Salvador
Telephone: (503) 2660 1275
Email: scerritos@cultura.gob.sv

Regional Museum of the West (Museo Regional de Occidente)
Building A-5 Master Plan
Government Center
Alameda Juan Pablo II and Guadalupe Street
Santa Ana, El Salvador
Telephone: (503) 2501 4400/2441 1215
Email: mregionaloccidente@gmail.com

Record Offices[edit | edit source]

The original records are maintained in each municipality of the country.

For suggestions on how to find the correct municipality, see El Salvador Finding Records.

For a list of cities and towns in each department, see Cities of El Salvador - Civil Registration

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Research by Aldo Lauria-Santiago regarding historiography and research possibilities and conditions in El Salvador can be found at the following link: http://www.google.com/url?sa=trct=j;q=el%20salvador%20national%20archives&source=webcd=6cad=rjaved=0CEwQFjAFurl=http%3A%2F%2Flasa-2.univ.pitt.edu%2FLARR%2Fprot%2Fsearch%2Fretrieve%2F%3FVol%3D30%26Num%3D2%26Start%3D151;ei=aC2nUZaHKMPh0gGn94GIBwusg=AFQjCNHagCgcxLQI9LIq4TOAof2os3p1VQbvm=bv.47244034,d.dmQ
  2. ↑ "Archivo General de Centro America, 1544-1821. Guatemala." at Center for Research Libraries. https://catalog.crl.edu/Record/ab5229b5-a49e-5e58-8fad-e16946ba2a03, accessed 18 October 2022. CRL purchased microfilms of the complete set of the Archivo General de Centroamérica (Central American Archives, or CAA)
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