The Cultural Building, which houses the Maine State Archives (MSA), Maine State Library (MSL), and Maine State Museum (MSM), has been closed to the public to allow significant upgrades to the facility’s mechanical systems. Learn more about the upgrades. In the summer of 2025, the Maine State Archives began the move back home. During our collections move, responses to research requests will take longer than usual. Please allow for extra time.
To begin your search, check our online catalog. Many documents are also available online at the Maine State Archives Digital Maine repository. Genealogy information is available at the Archives’ collection on FamilySearch.
The Archives is open Monday-Friday 9-4 PM. It is a non-circulating, closed-stacks facility and researchers must make an appointment at least 1 week in advance to allow time for material to be retrieved from storage. Researchers may request up to 8 records boxes (or 16 Hollinger boxes) prior to their visit. Once onsite, researchers may request additional boxes if they do so by 11:00 AM; those boxes will be available by 1 PM. Records will not be retrieved from storage after 1:00 PM for same-day viewing.
No material may be removed from the building. Materials from the collection may be consulted only in the Research Room. The Archives Services staff may deny or limit access to items in poor physical condition or in unprocessed collections.
Save time when you arrive! Complete our Researcher Application and bring it with you!
Court Records
For access to Superior Court records after 1929 and District Court records after 1960, please contact the appropriate court. Contact information can be found on the courts' website.
Vital Records
As of May 1, 2015, the Data, Research and Vital Statistics, Vital Records Office, DHHS, issues ALL vital records from 1892 to present. This includes birth, death, and marriage records.