Most family historians start their research at home, with the documents and photographs in their own family archive. 

Family documents typically include birth and marriage certificates, letters, greeting cards, diaries and journals. Family photographic collections can include historic studio portraits, 20th-century happy snaps and, increasingly, digital images.

The links below take you to advice and other preservation resources that can help you look after your family archive.

The following advice has been prepared by specialist conservators at the National Archives of Australia.

A family archivist's overview – an introduction to the issues such as preservation, storage and use

About paper – a look at types of papers and their uses

About writing materials – a look at both historical and modern inks and pens

Protecting your papers – how to care for paper documents and artworks

Protecting your photographs – how to care for photographs

Scrapbooking – how to make sure your scrapbooks are truly 'archival'

Time capsules – some advice about preparing time capsules

After a fire – how to rescue your fire-damaged records

After a flood – how to rescue your flood-damaged records

Further advice

You can find more preservation advice in in our publication, Keep It for the Future! 

The 'Records management' section of this website also contains information on topics such as looking after film and using suitable archival packaging. The advice has been prepared for use by archivists and records management professionals, so includes technical language and detailed information about managing archival collections. Many of the principles discussed, however, can be applied to caring for your family archive at home.

> Go to Keep It for the Future! – in the National Archives online shop

> Go to Preserving physical records

National Archives conservators give workshops and seminars on how to care for family documents and photographs, including digital images. Details of these events, when they are held, are listed in the Public events section of our website.

> Go to Public events

If you're in doubt about how to properly care for documents, artworks and objects in your family archive, you should consult a conservator. This is particularly important if you are contemplating any cleaning or repairs.

The Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material Inc. (AICCM) keeps a list of professional conservators. The AICCM is a national organisation for conservators and people interested in the preservation of cultural material.

> Go to the AICCM website