Archives Research Visit Requests

While you are not required to book an appointment to ensure access to the BC Archives reference room, we recommend researchers contact archives staff prior to visiting for a number of reasons, including:

  • Many records are stored offsite and require 24-72 hours to be retrieved
  • Many records have access restrictions and cannot be viewed without being reviewed by our Privacy department, which can take up to 30 business days
  • Some research questions cannot be answered by records in our custody; archivists can help you with your research question prior to your visit

Completing our online form will help BC Archives staff ensure your visit is productive, and enable you to use your time in the reference room effectively.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

Please note that the reference room is open 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays and closed on stat holidays

We recommend you search through our three databases, and review our reference guides prior to requesting assistance. Please see our separate forms for divorce records and reproductions of photographs, maps and sound and moving images.

Archives staff cannot conduct research on your behalf. If you cannot visit the archives yourself, you may want to hire a professional researcher.

If you are not redirected to the submission confirmation page once selecting 'submit', please review your application to ensure all mandatory fields are complete. Mandatory fields are marked with an *