Contact the NJ State Archives
Mailing Address:
NJ State Archives
P.O. Box 307
Trenton, NJ 08625-0307

Office Address:
225 West State Street - 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ

Contact Information

Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov

Planning Your Visit

The State Archives is open Monday-Thursday by appointment. Walk-ins are accepted if space is available. Please visit our online appointment page to schedule your research visit.

Researcher at NJSA

The building is fully handicapped-accessible, but designated parking behind 225 West State Street is limited. There is also limited parking available in the State House Garage and on West State Street (metered).

Eating, drinking and smoking are prohibited in the State Archives' public areas (including the reception area). The following are not permitted in the Archives' research rooms: pens; briefcases, purses & waist pouches; portfolio cases & research file bins; zip notebooks; coats and umbrellas; luggage, bookbags and computer bags; strollers and diaper bags. Cellular phones/pagers must be set to vibrate mode (please take or make calls in the reception area). Secure lockers are provided for storage of personal items. The receptionist will provide locker keys.

Hours
Parking
Daily Logistics and Researcher Rules
Sheduling Policy

Hours

Microfilm Reading Room (for up to 10 researchers or pairs of co-researchers at a time):

• Monday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
• Monday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Tuesday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to 12: 00 noon.
• Tuesday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Wednesday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
• Wednesday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Thursday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
• Thursday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Manuscript Reading Room (for up to 3 researchers or pairs of co-researchers at a time):

• Tuesday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Wednesday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Thursday afternoons, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Parking At the State Archives

225 West State Street - Trenton - New Jersey

Public parking in the State House Garage is on a limited basis. There are two entrances to the parking garage:

1. On West State Street, between the State Library and the State House Legislative Annex.

2. Off of the Memorial Drive exit from Route 29. After exiting, take the jughandle on the right and loop around to cross over Memorial Drive. Make a left in front of the War Memorial building, towards the guard station.

The State Trooper will ask you for your driver's license, and then you will proceed to the garage. Before entrance to the garage a security guard will ask to see your driver's license and issue you a parking pass.

There is also metered parking on West State Street. There is a credit card payment station.

For other parking options, please consult www.tpanj.com

Daily Logistics and Rules for Researchers

The following are logistical measures and rules for researchers:

• Researchers can use the online appointment page to schedule an appointment.

• In the Microfilm Reading Room, patrons will make their own microfilm and book copies. Staff will make copies of all materials in the Manuscript Reading Room.

• Researchers in both reading rooms will be assigned specific work stations.

• Manuscript Reading Room users will be asked to identify the materials they would like to use at the time of making their appointment and/or in advance of their visit to the extent possible, so that materials can be ready for them during the appointment. Because of limited staff onsite at this time, we cannot guarantee immediate access to materials not requested in advance, especially if they are stored offsite.

 

Scheduling Policy

• Researchers or co-researching pairs are currently allowed two microfilm appointments and one manuscript appointment per week. If you make a third microfilm or second manuscript appointment for the week, please call 609-984-2396, or reply to your appointment confirmation email.

• No more than two co-researchers may share a single appointment/research workstation in either reading room.

• Sign-up for 3-hour appointments will be on a first-come-first-served basis. A researcher may only reserve an appointment for themself and one other co-researcher at a single researcher workstation (microfilm carrel or manuscript table). The appointment will be considered to be under the name and contact information of the person scheduling the appointment.

• The appointment maker will receive an email confirming the appointment.

• Appointments are not transferrable to another party.

• Walk-in researchers without an appointment reservation may be turned away if the State Archives research areas are at capacity, i.e., if all current appointments or appointments later that day are reserved. In such cases, the researchers will be asked to reserve an appointment on another date.

• If a researcher has any questions or needs additional appointments beyond what is state above, they should email veronica.calder@sos.nj.gov to be added to the waiting list. If there are openings, they will be called the day before (in the case of vacant spots/cancellations) or the morning of (in the case of an afternoon cancellation).