Open!

The Archives are open by appointment only.

Have a question about the county’s history? The Archives are your first stop for research.

The Archival Collection ranges from 1830 to the present and includes books, clippings, documents, films, fine art, ledgers, letters, manuscripts, memorabilia, microfilm, newspapers, pamphlets, periodicals, transcripts, posters, records, scrapbooks, slides and students monographs. The materials are available for research in the Archives.

Archives Reading Room Update

Appointments are available Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Visitors can email or call 650.299.0104 and ask to speak to the Archivist to make appointments.

Please contact us to schedule appointments at least two days in advance. We are asking everyone to continue mask use in the Archives.

Due to building construction, some materials in the Archives may be unavailable for research use.

More information on using the Archives Reading Room.

More information on the Rights and Reproductions Policy.

Photographs

Explore over 300,000 photographs and negatives. Included are special collections from the San Mateo Times, Bay Meadows and local photographers.

Photographic and document reproductions available for a fee.

collections-archives-baseball-van-court

Girls Baseball Team, c. 1890. Photograph by James Van Court.

Archive book of the History of San Mateo County. Inscribed by Benjamin G. Lathrop. Presented to Virginia Turnbull By one of the Original Organizers of San Mateo County, B. G. Lathrop Oct 15th. 1883.

Books

The Archives has 1,500 volume book collection. It ranges from local history books to telephone and city directories.

Newspapers

Read the breaking news from yesteryear. The archives include complete runs of many newspapers including the San Mateo County Gazette, Burlingame Advance, Foster City Progress, Redwood City Tribune and So. San Francisco Enterprise.

Burlingame Advance newspaper cover from Feb 5, 1952 with headline SM 'Tote Board' King Wiped Out by Bomb Blast