Before visiting the Seychelles National Archives, there are few things that you should know which might help you decide if you are at the right place for your enquiry.

Archives are records created during normal government business that have been appraised as having enduring national, historical value which are in the custody of the National Archives for storage. 

We hold a large volume of different types of documents classed in alpha-numerical order as shown below:

A - Official Records of French period of administration up to 1811
B - Official correspondence books for period of British administration after 1811
C - Selected official records from unbound files of British period of administration after 1867
D - Printed publications of the government of Seychelles
E - Civil Status Record
F - Library of unofficial books and publications relating to history and natural history of Seychelles
G - Newspapers and Journals printed in Seychelles
H - Maps and Plans
I - Tape Recordings and Records
J - Stamps and Coins
K - Monument Section

Some tips 

• If you wish to undertake research at the National Archives, you should call in our Research room in person during opening hours.
• If you want to undertake family tree research, please call us, send us an email or just call in personally at the Archives to take an appointment. The family tree research is done on Tuesdays and Thursdays only from 09:00am to 12 noon, except for emergency cases
• Allow plenty of time to find, order and read your documents whether you have called in our Research room in person or you are doing your research online
• After consulting the various catalogues in the Research room, you should fill in the document request form which should be handed over to the staff at the Research room. A total of 3 documents are allowed at one time
• The institution may require that certain fragile or valuable documents cannot be examined or must be examined under supervision with the approval of the Archivist
• Certain documents may not be photocopied. If the physical integrity of a document is in danger of being compromised by photocopying, the Research room official is obliged to withhold it from being photocopied
• While undertaking your research, you should abide to the Research room rules below.

Research room rules 

1. Researchers should maintain silence in the Research room at all times
2. Researchers must not eat or drink in the Research room
3. Your mobile phones should be on silent mode when in the Research room
4. Researchers must not write on or mark any documents in any way or take them out of the Research room
5. Use only pencil in the Research room
6. Researchers must be careful not to damage documents and must not lean on them or fold its pages
7. The institution may require that certain fragile or valuable documents cannot be examined or must be examined under supervision with the approval of the Archivist
8. Tracing of documents is not allowed
9. Researchers may request photocopies of documents. Request for photocopy may be refused if the Archivist feels that there is a risk of damage to the document
10. Researchers are required to place handbags, briefcases, carrier bags, packets in designated shelf inside the Research room
11. Researchers have to sign a visitor book on each visit to the Research room
12. Smoking and pets are not allowed
13. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult

Archival research is usually time consuming. This could lead up to frustration such as incomplete or missing records, records which do not contain the desired information. It is preferable to dedicate time to undertake research. You must also remember that records were created primarily for administrative purposes rather than for easy research.

Staff of the National Archives is at your service to provide whatever advice you may require in undertaking your research.

 
Certificate of Attendance 

At the end of your visit, you can ask a member of staff for a certificate of attendance.