El Salvador Archives and Libraries

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.

National Archives
You will have the option to visit a number of repositories but any visit to the Salvadorian Diplomatic Archives must be approved by the administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The location for the National Archives is at Palacio Nacional, Centro Histórico, Avenida Cuscatlán San Salvador.  The address for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Historical Archive is Final 17ª Avenida Norte, Plan Maestro Centro de Gobierno, Anexo “B” Edificio Número 2. San Salvador, El Salvador.

Procedures
Many documents created prior to 1930 can be found at the National Archives. Researchers should first contact, however, the Historical Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and provide a letter from their sponsoring university or institution.