About the Archives

About Us

The Baltimore City Archives is the central repository for city government records of permanent value. The administration of Baltimore City Archives is shared with the Maryland State Archives under a memorandum of understanding with the City of Baltimore. State employee Robert Schoeberlein, PhD, serves as the Baltimore City Archivist. Another state employee, Jeni Spamer, supports the management of the archives and assists researchers as Deputy City Archivist.

The duties of records management are assigned to the City Records Management Officer, Gerald A. Roberts, who supervises the transfer, appraisal, retention, and disposition of non-permanent government records.

To contact any of our staff, please use msa.bca@maryland.gov.

In 2010, a grant from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission helped fund the initial transcription of the City Archives collections into the Maryland State Archives online catalog, the Guide to Government Records.

Hours of Operation:

Due to staffing limitations, the Baltimore City Archives is open to researchers by appointment only.

Search room hours available for appointment:

Monday:       CLOSED to the public

Tuesday:       10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM; 3rd Wednesday: 5:00 – 8:00pm

Thursday:     10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Friday:           CLOSED to the public

PLEASE NOTE: Appointments must be confirmed by staff.
CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULED CLOSINGS AND EVENING HOURS

Evening appointments are available one Wednesday of each month, but like all appointments, must be reserved at least 48 hours in advance. Weekend appointments are not available.

To make a research appointment, please fill out our research appointment form.

Inclement Weather:

If the Baltimore City Schools are closed due to the weather, the Baltimore City Archives will also be closed to researchers.

Directions:

The Baltimore City Archives is located at 2615 Mathews Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. It is in a one-story red brick warehouse shared with the Southern Steel Shelving Company. There is a “Baltimore City Archives” sign above the main door on Mathews St.

From Baltimore’s Inner Harbor:

Follow Calvert Street north.
Right at 28th Street.
Right at Mathews Street.
Follow Mathews Street to the end.
Archives building will be on the left.

From Annapolis and the Eastern Shore:

U.S. 50/301 West to I – 97 North to I – 695 West.
Exit 7B MD-295/Balt-Wash Pkwy to Baltimore.
Right on Pratt Street.
Left on Calvert Street.
Right at 28th Street.
Right on Mathews Street.
Follow Mathews Street to the end.
Archives building will be on the left.

From Washington, DC:

U.S. 50/301 East to I – 97 North to I – 695 West.
Take exit 7B MD-295/Balt-Wash Pkwy into Baltimore.
Right on Pratt Street.
Left on Calvert Street.
Right at 28th Street.
Right on Mathews Street.
Follow Mathews Street to the end.
Archives building will be on the left.

Local Press

View 2012 Baltimore Sun article

Volunteer Program:

In order to better serve the public and bring its collections under better management control, the Baltimore City Archives is in need of people willing to volunteer to clean, shelve records, and aid in cataloging. If you would like to volunteer, please write to msa.bca@maryland.gov providing contact information and an idea of when and how much time you might be able to volunteer.