How to Use the National Archives Catalog MCP in Cursor

Q: How do I add the National Archives Catalog to my Cursor editor?

Create a .cursor/mcp.json file in your project root and paste the server configuration there. Enable Agent mode, and your editor will immediately gain access to all 40 MCP tools.

Q: Can I write scripts in Cursor that edit the National Archives Catalog?

Yes, you can use updatetranscription or createcomment within your code files. The Cursor agent executes these tools directly, allowing you to automate catalog updates during your development workflow.

Q: Does the National Archives Catalog integration support batch operations in Cursor?

It does. You can command your agent to run deletecontributions to clean up multiple test tags or comments at once, speeding up your local development loop.

Write code that pulls real historical metadata and manages NARA contributions inside Cursor.

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Connect National Archives Catalog MCP to Cursor

Create your Vinkius account to connect National Archives Catalog to Cursor and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup National Archives Catalog with Cursor

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Inject real archival data into your Cursor workspace

Pulling actual National Archives Catalog metadata directly into your active Cursor file is exactly what the `search_records_by_text` tool does. Cursor reads the live NARA API payload to build accurate data structures instead of relying on outdated training data. Using `get_record_stats` lets Cursor check the contribution volume of specific collections while you write your analysis scripts. This prevents integration errors by letting Cursor test real NARA API shapes during development.

Manage user tags using this Cursor MCP Server

By executing the `create_tag` tool, Cursor programmatically tags National Archives Catalog records as you build curation pipelines. You can write scripts in Cursor that analyze NARA documents and apply metadata updates with zero manual typing. If you need to clean up test data, `delete_contributions` removes multiple NARA entries in a single step. This makes debugging your NARA metadata pipelines fast because Cursor handles the cleanup directly.

Track archival contributors from your editor

Retrieving public profile information for specific National Archives Catalog contributors is handled by the `get_user` tool. You can build Cursor applications that credit volunteers by pulling their NARA contribution history straight into your code. With `get_comments_by_userid`, Cursor maps out user discussions across various historical collections. This helps you build community dashboards in Cursor with real, live data from the National Archives Catalog.

Setup guide

Set up National Archives Catalog MCP in Cursor

Prerequisites

Cursor installed (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP Settings

Go to Cursor Settings → MCP or open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and search for "MCP: Add Server".
2

Add the National Archives Catalog MCP

Cursor will create or open .cursor/mcp.json in your project root. Paste the JSON snippet on the right. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Enable Agent mode

Open Composer (Cmd+I / Ctrl+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown at the top. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode.
4

Verify the connection

Ask Cursor something like "List my recent National Archives Catalog transactions." If the MCP tools are loaded correctly, Cursor will call the National Archives Catalog tools automatically. You can also check Settings → MCP for a green status indicator.

.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "national-archives-catalog-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by National Archives Catalog. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about National Archives Catalog MCP in Cursor

Create a `.cursor/mcp.json` file in your project root and paste the server configuration there. Enable Agent mode, and your editor will immediately gain access to all 40 MCP tools.

Yes, you can use `update_transcription` or `create_comment` within your code files. The Cursor agent executes these tools directly, allowing you to automate catalog updates during your development workflow.

It does. You can command your agent to run `delete_contributions` to clean up multiple test tags or comments at once, speeding up your local development loop.

Open the Cursor chat panel and look at the active MCP list. You will see the server listed with all 40 tools ready for Agent mode.

This server only handles public catalog metadata, tags, and comments. Your connection credentials remain strictly within your local Cursor configuration, sandboxed securely on your machine.

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