# National Archives API > National Archives returns catalog records and is available as a workflow and API. National Archives (NARA) Search records returns public catalog records matching keywords, with optional year, material type, and digitization filters. - Page: https://fous.com/tools/national-archives - Handle: `@national-archives` - Category: [Education](https://fous.com/tools/category/education) - Source website: https://catalog.archives.gov - Last verified: Oct 7, 2026 ## Methods ### Search records Operation `search_records`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. Search public National Archives Catalog records by keywords, year, material type, and online availability. Results follow catalog relevance order; year filters use catalog matches and may include records dated outside the range. **Input** | Field | Type | Required | Example | Description | |---|---|---|---|---| | `page` | integer | no | `2` | Page of matching results, for example 2. | | `query` | string | yes | `"Apollo 11"` | Keywords to find in catalog records, for example Apollo 11. | | `end_year` | integer | no | `1969` | Latest year to search, for example 1969. | | `start_year` | integer | no | `1960` | Earliest year to search, for example 1960. | | `max_results` | integer | no | `5` | Number of records per page, for example 20. | | `online_only` | boolean | no | `true` | Whether to include only digitized records, for example true. | | `record_type` | string | no | `"photographs"` | Material type to include, for example photographs. | **Input schema** ```json { "type": "object", "required": [ "query" ], "properties": { "page": { "type": "integer", "default": 1, "minimum": 1, "description": "Page of matching results, for example 2.", "x-fous-developer": true, "examples": [ 2 ] }, "query": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "description": "Keywords to find in catalog records, for example Apollo 11.", "examples": [ "Apollo 11", "ZZZZthisisnotarecord4299040304" ] }, "end_year": { "type": "integer", "maximum": 2100, "minimum": 1, "description": "Latest year to search, for example 1969.", "examples": [ 1969 ] }, "start_year": { "type": "integer", "maximum": 2100, "minimum": 1, "description": "Earliest year to search, for example 1960.", "examples": [ 1960 ] }, "max_results": { "type": "integer", "default": 20, "maximum": 100, "minimum": 1, "description": "Number of records per page, for example 20.", "x-fous-developer": true, "examples": [ 5 ] }, "online_only": { "type": "boolean", "default": false, "description": "Whether to include only digitized records, for example true.", "examples": [ true ] }, "record_type": { "enum": [ "any", "textual records", "photographs", "maps", "moving images", "sound recordings" ], "type": "string", "default": "any", "description": "Material type to include, for example photographs.", "examples": [ "photographs" ] } }, "additionalProperties": false, "examples": [ { "page": 2, "query": "Apollo 11", "end_year": 1969, "start_year": 1960, "max_results": 5, "online_only": true, "record_type": "photographs" }, { "query": "Apollo 11" }, { "query": "ZZZZthisisnotarecord4299040304" } ] } ``` **Output** | Field | Type | Example | Description | |---|---|---|---| | `records` | array | | Matching catalog records in relevance order. | | `records[].date` | string or null | `"April 17, 1970"` | | | `records[].title` | string | `"President Richard Nixon, Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins, Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders, and Henry Kissinger Wa` | | | `records[].digitized` | boolean | `true` | | | `records[].image_links` | array | | | | `records[].record_type` | string or null | `"Photographs and other Graphic Materials"` | | | `records[].catalog_link` | string | `"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/34929665"` | | | `records[].record_group` | string or null | `"Collection RN-WHPO: White House Photo Office Collection (Nixon Administration)"` | | | `records[].creating_agency` | string or null | `"President (1969-1974 : Nixon). White House Photo Office. 1969-1974; General Services Administration. National Archives ` | | | `records[].short_description` | string or null | `"James E. Webb, head of National Aeronautics and Space Administration, leans over to speak to President Lyndon B. Johnso` | | | `records[].national_archives_identifier` | string | `"34929665"` | | **Example input** ```json { "page": 2, "query": "Apollo 11", "end_year": 1969, "start_year": 1960, "max_results": 5, "online_only": true, "record_type": "photographs" } ``` **Example output** ```json { "records": [ { "date": "April 17, 1970", "title": "President Richard Nixon, Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins, Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders, and Henry Kissinger Watch the Apollo 13 Command Module \"Odyssey\" Splash Down on Television", "digitized": true, "image_links": [ "https://catalog.archives.gov/medialz/presidential-libraries/nixon/194277/BATCH01/37-whpo-3359-07a.jpg" ], "record_type": "Photographs and other Graphic Materials", "catalog_link": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/34929665", "record_group": "Collection RN-WHPO: White House Photo Office Collection (Nixon Administration)", "creating_agency": "President (1969-1974 : Nixon). White House Photo Office. 1969-1974; General Services Administration. National Archives and Records Service. Office of Presidential Libraries. Office of Presidential Pap…", "short_description": null, "national_archives_identifier": "34929665" }, { "date": "July 16, 1969", "title": "President and Mrs. Johnson and James Webb witness Apollo 11 launch", "digitized": true, "image_links": [ "https://catalog.archives.gov/medialz/presidential-libraries/truman/photographs/97/97-280.jpg" ], "record_type": "Photographs and other Graphic Materials", "catalog_link": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/350900580", "record_group": "Collection HST-PHC: Photograph Collection", "creating_agency": "National Archives and Records Administration. Office of Presidential Libraries. Harry S. Truman Library. (4/1/1985 - 7/31/2011)", "short_description": "James E. Webb, head of National Aeronautics and Space Administration, leans over to speak to President Lyndon B. Johnson, and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson during the launch of Apollo 11 at Cape Kenned…", "national_archives_identifier": "350900580" } ] } ``` ## Quick start Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data. ```bash curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \ --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --data-raw '{ "api": "@national-archives", "visibility": "public", "operation": "search_records", "version": 1, "input": { "page": 2, "query": "Apollo 11", "end_year": 1969, "start_year": 1960, "max_results": 5, "online_only": true, "record_type": "photographs" }, "response": { "format": "json" } }' ``` ```python # Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed. import json import urllib.error import urllib.request api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY" body = json.loads("{\n \"api\": \"@national-archives\",\n \"visibility\": \"public\",\n \"operation\": \"search_records\",\n \"version\": 1,\n \"input\": {\n \"page\": 2,\n \"query\": \"Apollo 11\",\n \"end_year\": 1969,\n \"start_year\": 1960,\n \"max_results\": 5,\n \"online_only\": true,\n \"record_type\": \"photographs\"\n },\n \"response\": {\n \"format\": \"json\"\n }\n}") request = urllib.request.Request( "https://api.fous.com/v1/query", data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={ "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}", "Content-Type": "application/json", }, method="POST", ) try: with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response: result = json.load(response) except urllib.error.HTTPError as error: raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error if result.get("success") is False: raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed")) print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2)) ``` ```typescript // Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts. const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY"; const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", { method: "POST", headers: { "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`, "Content-Type": "application/json", }, signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000), body: JSON.stringify({ "api": "@national-archives", "visibility": "public", "operation": "search_records", "version": 1, "input": { "page": 2, "query": "Apollo 11", "end_year": 1969, "start_year": 1960, "max_results": 5, "online_only": true, "record_type": "photographs" }, "response": { "format": "json" } }), }); type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } }; const result: ApiResult = await response.json(); if (!response.ok || result.success === false) { throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`); } if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data"); console.log(result.data.output); ``` ## Use from an AI assistant Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input. - Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/national-archives` - Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer ` **Tools** - `search_records`: Search records. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. - `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free. Claude Code: ```bash claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-national-archives https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/national-archives --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}" ``` To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt. ## Use cases - Find catalog records about a person, event, or topic - Locate digitized records for research - Filter records by year or material type - Review records by title, date, or creating agency ## FAQ ### Can I run it with my own inputs? Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant. ### Can I call this National Archives tool as an API? Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back. ### How much does it cost? Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit. ### Do I need a National Archives account? No. You only need a Fous account. ### How current is the data? Fous gets the data from catalog.archives.gov when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Oct 7, 2026. ### How can I find records about a topic? Use Search records with keywords to find matching catalog records. ### Can I find digitized records from a particular year? Use Search records with keywords, year filters, and online availability. ### What details are included for each record? Search records returns titles, dates, material types, descriptions, creating agencies, and other catalog details. ## Related - [Library of Congress API](https://fous.com/tools/library-of-congress.md): Library of Congress returns searchable digital collections and historic newspaper pages; rights notes may be absent, and newspaper text may contain OCR errors. - [NASA API](https://fous.com/tools/nasa.md): NASA provides astronomy pictures from June 16, 1995 onward, up to 100 media matches, inclusive UTC asteroid approaches, recent approximate natural events, and upcoming ISS sightings for listed cities. - [Find Case Law API](https://fous.com/tools/find-case-law.md): Search official UK court judgments and tribunal decisions from The National Archives. - [Federal Register API](https://fous.com/tools/federal-register.md): Search United States federal rules, proposed rules, notices, and presidential documents. - [Open Library API](https://fous.com/tools/open-library.md): Open Library returns book search results, catalog details, and author works; availability reflects listed editions, not current loan availability, and catalog details may be missing. - [NPR API](https://fous.com/tools/npr.md): NPR returns displayed section headlines, searchable articles with summaries and publication details, and available article text; date-filtered searches may miss older stories edited much later. - [National Vulnerability Database API](https://fous.com/tools/national-vulnerability-database.md): The U.S. National Vulnerability Database provides publicly reported security vulnerabilities, with recent product matches and CVE details, including CISA catalog status and affected versions when reported. - [AP News API](https://fous.com/tools/ap-news.md): AP News provides reporting, up to 50 public-page headlines, searchable articles visible in its search, and full text when accessible. - [All Education tools](https://fous.com/tools/category/education)