Belgium Archives and Libraries


 * Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
 * If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
 * Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the FamilySearch Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.

National Archives
State (National) Archives of Belgium Rue de Ruysbroeck 2 1000 Brussels, Belgium Telephone: 02 513 76 80 Fax: 02 513 76 81 E-mail:archives.generales@arch.be Website To use the archives, you must create an account: Registration Information for the Genealogist Genealogical sources
 * Persons Search Engine
 * Online Church Registers
 * Online Civil Status Registers (Births, marriages, and deaths)

Reading Rooms

FamilySearch Digitized Records
The civil registration records of the  Belgium National Archives have been microfilmed, digitized, and indexed by FamilySearch.
 * 1588-1913 :, index and images
 * 1582-1914 :, index and images
 * 1541-1914 :, index and images
 * 1600-1913 :, index and images
 * 1798-1906 :, index and images
 * 1621-1914 :, index and images
 * 1580-1920 :, images only
 * 1800-1912 :, index and images
 * 1582-1910 :, index and images

State Archives
Archives Portal Europe provides access to information on Belgium archives. '''Click on the "Belgium" arrow link, then the "General State Archives..." arrow link to find addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail links for these archives:'''

In each State Archives branch office you can consult the following documents:

Libraries
Libraries of the National Archives Website Search catalogue Union Catalogue of Belgian Libraries '''The works from the libraries of the State Archives can only be consulted on site. The catalogue search will list the location/which library where the source is held. The libraries of the State Archives repositories hold a total of roughly 500,000 volumes, bearing on the following main topics:
 * History of Belgium and earlier state entities
 * publications about former colony Congo and the mandated territory Rwanda-Urundi
 * regional and local history
 * archival sciences
 * publications about the First World War
 * administrative and juridical specialist literature
 * collection of precious Works
 * publications of the State Archives (inventories, guides, exhibition catalogues,…)
 * inventories of other Belgian and foreign archives institutio

Museums
Belgium Museum of Art and History Parc du Cinquantenaire 10 1000 Brussels, Belgium T: + 32 (0)2 741 73 31 The Art & History Museum is a public museum of antiquities and ethnographic and decorative arts located at the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark in Brussels, Belgium. The museum is one of the constituent parts of the Royal Museums of Art and History and is one of the largest art museums in Europe. A very detailed article on all the specific collections is available at Wikipedia: Art & History Museum

Record Offices
Records newer than 100 years cannot be found online at the State Archives. You will need to contact the municipality where the event took place. If needed, you may need to write to an ancestor's town. Below is how to address a letter:

Gemeentebestuur = Municipal administration De Ambtenaar van de Burgerlijke Stand = Civil State Officer Gemeentehuis = City Hall BE - (postal code) (name of municipality) Belgium


 * Postal Code Finder.