# National Archives Catalog MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > National Archives Catalog MCP lets your AI agent dive into millions of historical records from the US National Archives. It handles deep searches for photos, documents, and metadata, giving you a direct line to primary sources without the usual navigation headache. ## Overview - **Category:** knowledge-management - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** historical-records, nara, archives, research, us-history ## Description Researching history usually means fighting with clunky search bars and digging through nested folders until your eyes glaze over. This Connector changes that by letting your AI agent do the heavy lifting for you. Instead of manually hunting for a specific ship's log or a set of 19th-century photographs, you just describe what you're looking for. The agent handles the complex queries across the National Archives Catalog, pulling back specific records, metadata, and even citizen-contributed transcriptions. It's like having a research assistant who's already read the entire catalog and knows exactly where every folder is hidden. You can ask it to find specific items by text, tags, or even comments left by other researchers. If you find something interesting, you can have your agent pull the immediate children of a record to see how the collection is structured. You can even manage your own findings by adding tags or comments directly. It makes the way you interact with history feel like a conversation rather than a chore. By adding this to your Vinkius setup, you're basically putting the entire history of the United States into a chat window. ## Tools ### search_records_by_tag Find records that have been tagged with specific keywords. This helps you discover related items in a specific category. ### delete_comment Remove or deactivate a comment you no longer need. Use this to keep your research notes clean and relevant. ### delete_contributions Remove multiple contributions at once to clean up your data. This is a fast way to manage bulk changes to your research. ### delete_tag Remove or deactivate a tag from a specific record. Use this if you need to reorganize your research categories. ### fetch_coords Get JSON data from an S3 URL based on a provided link. This is useful for pulling external data related to archive locations. ### get_announcements See a list of all current announcements from the archives. This keeps you updated on the latest archival news. ### get_comment View a single comment by its unique ID. Use this to inspect specific notes left by other researchers. ### get_comments_by_naid See all comments linked to a specific National Archives Identifier. This gives you a full view of the discussion on a single record. ### get_comments_by_userid See all comments made by a specific contributor. This is great for following the work of specific citizen archivists. ### get_contributions_by_target_naid Pull all contributions for a specific record ID. This lets you see every edit and note made on a particular document. ### get_contributions_by_userid See all contributions made by a specific user. Use this to see the full body of work from a single researcher. ### get_justifications Read the reasons for administrative actions on records. This helps you understand why certain records were modified or restricted. ### get_latest_announcements See the most recent active announcements. This is the quickest way to see what's new in the National Archives. ### get_record_children Find the immediate children of a parent record ID. Use this to see how a collection is structured and find related items. ### get_record_stats Check statistics on user contributions for a record. This helps you see how much community effort has gone into a specific item. ### get_tag View a single tag by its unique ID. Use this to check the definition or context of a specific archive tag. ### get_tags_by_naid See all tags associated with a specific record. This helps you see how a document is categorized by the community. ### get_tags_by_userid See all tags created by a specific contributor. Use this to see how a specific researcher organizes their findings. ### get_transcription_history Look at the history of transcriptions for a record. This shows you how the text of a document has been refined over time. ### get_transcription View a single transcription by its ID. Use this to read the transcribed text of a historical document. ### get_transcriptions_by_naid See all transcriptions for a specific record. This allows you to compare different transcriptions of the same item. ### get_transcriptions_by_userid See all transcriptions made by a specific user. Use this to find all the transcribed work of a specific contributor. ### get_user See public profile data for a specific user. Use this to find information about other researchers in the catalog. ### get_users Search for public account data like usernames and roles. This is useful for finding specific community members. ### search_comments Search for specific comment data across the catalog. This helps you find discussions about specific historical topics. ### search_contributions Search for contribution data provided by the community. Use this to see how others are interacting with the archives. ### search_records_by_comment Find records that contain specific comments. This is a great way to discover records based on what people are saying about them. ### search_records_by_contribution Find records related to specific user contributions. Use this to see which records have been heavily worked on by the community. ### search_records_by_text Search for records using other extracted text fields. This is a powerful way to find documents based on their internal content. ### search_records_by_transcription Find records based on their transcriptions. Use this to find documents by searching the actual text they contain. ### search_records Search for records using various URL parameters. This is the primary way to find specific historical documents in the catalog. ### search_tags Search for specific tag data within the system. Use this to find new categories for your research. ### search_transcriptions Search for specific transcription data. This helps you find transcribed records based on their content. ### update_comment Edit an existing comment on a record. Use this to refine your research notes as you learn more. ### update_user Update your public user information. Use this to keep your researcher profile current. ### create_comment Add a new comment to a record to note your research findings. This helps you keep track of your thoughts as you browse the archives. ### create_tag Add a new tag to a record for better organization. You can use this to group related historical items together. ### create_transcription Add a new transcription to a record for better accessibility. This helps make historical documents easier for others to read. ### get_user_notifications Check your personal notifications from the archive system. This keeps you informed about your account activity. ### update_transcription Add or edit a transcription for better record clarity. This helps you improve the accessibility of historical documents. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Find records related to the 'Apollo 11 mission'. ``` **Response:** ``` I've found several records related to the Apollo 11 mission. Here are the top results: | Record Name | NaId | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Apollo 11 Flight Plan** | 594912 | Official flight plan for the mission. | | **Launchpad Photos** | 882104 | High-resolution photos of the launch site. | Would you like me to pull the metadata for the Flight Plan or see the related children records? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Get the immediate children of parent record 573036. ``` **Response:** ``` Retrieving children for NaId 573036... I found several items including: * **Logbook of the USS Constitution** * **Correspondence files (1812-1815)** * **Ship Manifests** Which of these would you like to inspect further? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Find all tags associated with record NaId 123456. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the tags for NaId 123456. Current tags include: * **World War II** * **Naval Intelligence** * **Pacific Theater** Would you like to add a new tag to this record to further organize your research? ``` ## Capabilities ### Search historical records by text Find specific documents and photos using natural language descriptions. ### View record metadata Get detailed status metrics and descriptions for specific National Archives Identifiers. ### Explore record hierarchies Retrieve immediate children of a parent record to see how collections are structured. ### Manage research tags Create and delete tags to organize your findings within the catalog ecosystem. ### Access community transcriptions Retrieve transcriptions provided by the citizen archivist community. ## Use Cases ### Finding family history A genealogist asks for "transcriptions of letters from the 1850s" and the agent uses `search_transcriptions` to find them. ### Building a history lesson An educator asks for "photos of the Apollo 11 launch" and the agent uses `search_records_by_text` to find them. ### Organizing a research project A historian finds a record and uses `create_tag` to group it with other "Civil War" documents for easier later access. ### Deep diving into a collection A researcher finds a parent record and uses `get_record_children` to map out every related sub-document in a series. ## Benefits - Skip manual search friction by using `search_records` to find specific historical events without clicking through dozens of archive categories. - Organize your research findings directly in the catalog by using `create_tag` and `create_comment` to mark important records as you find them. - Explore deep record hierarchies with `get_record_children` to see how a collection is structured and find related documents instantly. - Leverage community knowledge by using `get_transcriptions_by_naid` to see what other citizen archivists have already transcribed for you. - Stay informed on your research account with `get_user_notifications` to keep track of your personal activity and archive updates. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get instant access to millions of primary sources through a chat interface. 1. Subscribe to the National Archives Catalog MCP 2. Enter your NARA API Key in the configuration 3. Ask your agent to find specific historical records or metadata ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can the National Archives Catalog MCP find specific photos?** Yes, it can search for records based on text descriptions and metadata, allowing your agent to find historical photos and visual records from the archives. **How do I use the National Archives Catalog MCP for genealogy?** You can use it to search for transcriptions and historical records. It helps you find family history data and archival links much faster than manual searching. **Does the National Archives Catalog MCP let me organize my research?** Yes, it allows you to create tags and comments directly on records, making it easy to keep your research organized as you find new items. **Can my agent find records by transcription?** Yes, your agent can search specifically for records based on their transcriptions, which is great for finding documents by their actual content. **Is the National Archives Catalog MCP good for historians?** It's specifically designed for researchers who need to access primary source documents and metadata from one of the world's largest archival collections. **Can I see what other people have contributed to the archive?** Yes, the Connector allows you to see community-contributed tags, comments, and transcriptions, letting you see what other citizen archivists have shared. **Can I search for records specifically by the text in their transcriptions?** Yes. Use the `search_records_by_transcription` tool. This is particularly useful for handwritten documents that have been digitized and transcribed by volunteers. **How do I see the individual items within a larger archival series?** Use the `get_record_children` tool with the parent `NaId`. This will list the immediate sub-records or files contained within that specific collection or series. **Can I contribute to the archives by adding tags via the AI?** Yes, the `create_tag` tool allows you to add descriptive tags to a record using its National Archives Identifier (NaId), helping improve searchability for the community.