The ANS decided in 2004 to establish a centralized archive when it was preparing to move to its location in Lower Manhattan.   The mission of the Archives is to serve as a centralized resource for historical information about the Society. The ANS Archives fulfills this mission by:

•   collecting, preserving and making accessible the historical records of the Society;
•   using these records to promote to key audiences the Society's heritage of success; and
•   supporting the Society's staff in their roles as scholars and administrators.

The records housed in the ANS Archives document the history and development of the Society, its collections, exhibitions, and programs, as well as the contributions of individuals and groups associated with the Society — they are unique and irreplaceable assets.

In short, the ANS Archives serves as the Society's "institutional memory."