What Resources Are Available on the Georgia Archives Website?

The Georgia Archives website (georgiaarchives.org) is both a research portal and a visitor guide. Its online resources fall into four practical groups: digitized documents you can browse from anywhere (Virtual Vault), tools for locating records (Finding Aids, Catalog/GIL, Directory), guidance on how to research and access vital records, and information for planning a visit or managing public records. Use the online tools first to identify what exists; most original records still require an onsite visit to Morrow, GA.

Online collections and search tools

Virtual Vault

Browse Georgia's historic documents that have already been digitized. This is the starting point if you want to see material without traveling — the site describes it as the place to "browse Georgia's historic documents available online."

Finding Aids

Use these to discover original records available for onsite research. Finding aids describe archival collections rather than digitized items, so they tell you what exists and where, even when the content itself is not online.

Catalog (GIL)

Find books and other publications available onsite. GIL is the catalog for published material held at the Archives, distinct from the manuscript and record collections covered by finding aids.

Directory

Locate cultural and historical institutions statewide. Useful when the records you need are held by a county courthouse, local historical society, or another repository rather than the state archives.

Research guidance

The Research section explains how to research at the Georgia Archives, and Research Services describes the support available. Separate pages cover Policies and Guidelines and a Visual Materials Policy, which matter if you plan to request, reproduce, or publish materials.

Vital Records

A dedicated page explains how to access Georgia's vital records. Note that vital records are typically held by the state's vital records office rather than the Archives, so this page is guidance on where and how to obtain them — check it before assuming the Archives holds a birth, death, or marriage record.

Planning a visit and other services

• Visit: practical information, including a "Things to know before you visit" section.
• Programs: lectures, exhibits, and special events. Lunch and Learn lectures run noon to 1:00 p.m., and recordings are posted to the Archives' YouTube channel afterward. The site lists 2026 events, including Archives & Genealogy Day on Saturday, October 3, 2026, and a Lunch and Learn schedule running October–December 2026.
• Educators: educational resources, America 250 material, National History Day, and professional development workshops.
• Government Agencies: records services, records laws and legislation, and retention schedules — the section to use if you manage public records rather than research family history.
• About Us: background on the Archives, its newsletter, contact information, and advisory council.

How to choose where to start

• Researching family history online: begin with the Virtual Vault, then check Finding Aids to see what original records exist onsite.
• Looking for a specific published work: search the Catalog (GIL).
• Hunting records held outside the state archives: use the Directory.
• Needing a birth, death, or marriage record: start with the Vital Records page for access instructions.
• Managing public records for an agency: go to the Government Agencies section for retention schedules and records law.
• Planning to visit or attend a lecture: check Visit and Programs for hours, logistics, and the event calendar.

The Archives has collected and cared for Georgia's historical documents since 1918 and is part of the University System of Georgia. Its facility is in Morrow, GA.