National Archives Day in Indonesia Date in the current year: May 18, 2026

The first archival institution in Indonesia was the Landsarchief (National Archive), which was established by the Dutch East Indies colonial government on January 28, 1892. Its main purpose was to preserve archival materials from the Dutch East India Company and Dutch East Indies eras for administrative and scientific purposes.

During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia from 1942 to 1945, few new archival materials were created, and some Landsarchief employees were imprisoned in Japanese camps. Nevertheless, the archives themselves were preserved at the former residence of Governor-General Reynier de Klerck in Jakarta, to which they had been moved in 1925. Today, the former National Archives building is a museum.

Following the end of the Japanese occupation and the proclamation of Indonesian independence on August 17, 1945, the Indonesian government took over the archival collections of the Landsarchief. The Landsarchief was renamed the State Archives and placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Teaching and Culture. However, in 1947, the Dutch launched a military offensive against Indonesia, recaptured the State Archives, and renamed them the Landsarchief again.

On December 27, 1949, the Netherlands officially recognized Indonesia’s sovereignty and transferred control of all government institutions, including the state archives, to the Indonesian government. In 1959, the State Archives were officially renamed the National Archives. Two years later, they were transferred to the First Ministry’s jurisdiction.

Over the next several years, the National Archives changed jurisdictions several more times until finally becoming a non-departmental government institution directly subordinate to the president in 1967. This change was officially reflected in the Archives Basic Provision Act of 1971, which was promulgated on May 18 of that year. This date is considered the anniversary of the founding of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia in their current form.

The National Archives of Indonesia are responsible for preserving the country’s archival heritage. They function as the central authority for archival policy, standards, and supervision across public institutions. Their primary responsibility is to collect, preserve, organize, and provide access to records of long-term historical, legal, and administrative value. These include government documents, colonial-era records, historical manuscripts, maps, photographs, audiovisual materials, and other state records. The National Archives also oversee archival regulations and provide guidance to ministries, regional governments, and state institutions on proper record management.

A significant portion of the National Archives’ holdings relate to Indonesia’s colonial period under Dutch administration. They possess the world’s largest archive collection related to the Dutch East India Company, containing documents dating back to 1612.