Located in a restored colonial-style building at Tap Seac Square, the Macao Historical Archives are the local general archives of the territory. The archives collect, process and preserve archival resources of historical value and its collection comprises over 50,000 files, 70,000 images and 10,000 publications, most of which are paper-based. The earliest document kept dates back to 1630. Documents kept by the Macao Historical Archives are accessible to the public but one needs a reader’s card for requesting, consultation and asking for copies.
The Macao Historical Archives is the only place in Macau where one can search for old archives dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, kept on microfilm and pre-requested in advance. There are microfilm readers on the main room, while important books are kept away from the public and should be requested online, through their catalogue online. Search can be done on both Portuguese and Chinese. Some of the files are viewable online and others are only available on the Archives’ computers.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 6:30pm; Saturday from 1:00pm to 6:00pm