Contact	Ruisbroekstraat, 2 1000 BRUSSEL > How to get there? Tel: +32 (0)2 513 76 80 Fax: +32 (0)2 513 76 81 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it In order to reserve documents for Saturday: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Opening times	Reading room: Tuesday-Friday: from 8.30 am – 6.00 pm. Saturday: from 9.00 am – 12.30 and 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm. In July and August: Closed between 12 (noon) and 1 pm and Saturdays (all day). Closed on Mondays and Holidays. Archive pieces are handed out at fixed times: 8.45 am, 9.30 am, 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 1.15 pm, 2.15 pm and 3.30 pm. Library: Tuesday-Friday: from 8.30 am – 12.00 (noon) and from 1.00 pm – 4.30 pm. Closed on Mondays, Saturdays and Holidays. Closed for archive fonds control from May 31th to June 5th 2010. > Holidays 2010.

• Archive documents (originals or copies) of the central institutions of the Netherlands and of Belgium can be consulted in the reading room of the Archives.
  
  
• The Archival documentation centre and the library put books and periodicals at the disposition of the reader that mainly treat Belgian history and more particularly the history of the region of Brabant.
  One can also consult a series of printed sources: pamphlets, ancient edicts and ordinances, books and periodicals specialised in archival sciences as well as inventories of archives preserved at other depositories in Belgium or abroad.
  
  

What do we preserve?

The National Archives of Belgium preserve the archives of the central institutions of the Burgundian, Austrian and Spanish Netherlands until 1795, the archives of the central public institutions of the French period (1795-1815) and of the Kingdom the Netherlands (1815-1830), and finally the archives of the central institutions of the national government – and later of the federal government – from the birth of Belgium (1830) until today, not including the archives of the defence and foreign affairs ministries. 

Beside the archives from the central public institutions, the National Archives also preserve a large number of private archives such as personal archives that politicians have handed over to the State Archives. Numerous family archives – some of which are of considerable size – entrusted to the State Archives by Belgium’s most important families also add considerably to the richness of the Archives. 
Finally, one has to mention the numerous collections of the Archives – a very useful resource for researchers: maps and plans, engravings and manuscripts of various origins.

Within the National Archives and Department I, two sections can be distinguished: Section 4 is in charge of the service to the public (reading room) and the administration of the archives from the Ancien Régime. Section 5 is responsible for acquisition and preservation of the contemporary archives (public archives, private archives and archives of companies and associations) preserved at the National Archives and making them accessible (for research purposes).

As for the companies archives kept in the auxiliary depository at Rue du Houblon, we kindly invite you to take a look at the inventory list and the consultation modalities.

The archives of the former Duchy of Brabant, the Department of the Dyle and the Province of Brabant (until 1995), of the Brussels region and the Province of Flemish-Brabant, which were previously preserved at Rue de Ruysbroeck, are now being transferred to the State Archives in the Brussels-Capital Region (Anderlecht) and to the State Archives in Leuven.

How to get there?

By public transport: The National Archives are located in the centre of Brussels, in the midst of the triangle Mont des Arts – Grand Sablon – Central Station. Access is easy via public transport: Tram and Metro stop at the Central station (Bruxelles Central), bus stop at Grand Sablon, Tram stop at Rue de la Régence (Sablon church).
By foot, you can reach the National Archives from the Central station in more or less five minutes. Take the Boulevard de l’Empereur and walk down the stairs immediately after number 4 (service entry of the Royal Library) to the Place de la Justice. There, an underpass leads directly to the Rue de Ruysbroeck where the National Archives are located to the left.

By car: The Archives do not have their own parking space. It is rather difficult to find a parking space in the vicinity, except in car parks with parking fees (e.g. Parking Albertine, entry at Place de la Justice).

Click the map for a larger picture

Who is who?

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Further reading

• VAN HAEGENDOREN M., Les Archives générales du Royaume à Bruxelles, aperçu des fonds et des inventaires, Brussels, 1955, 440 p.
• SOENEN M., Institutions centrales des Pays-Bas sous l'Ancien Régime, Brussels, 1994, 589 p.
• VANRIE A., Archives scabinales et communales du Brabant, Brussels, 1995, 607 p.
• MURET Ph., Archives ecclésiastiques du Brabant. I. Doyennés, paroisses, collégiales, 2 tomes, Brussels, 1995.
• NIJSSEN R., Aperçu des instruments de recherche disponibles à la salle de lecture des Archives générales du Royaume. Situation au 1er janvier 1998, Brussels, 1998.
• D’HOORE M., Archives de particuliers relatives à l’histoire de la Belgique contemporaine (de 1830 à nos jours) 2 volumes, 1998.
• AERTS E., Geschiedenis en archief van de rekenkamers, 1996.
• VAN NIEUWENHUYSEN A., complété par LAURENT R., Archives de familles et de particuliers, 1997.