National Archives Catalog Connector for AI agents.

40 live capabilities

Access primary source documents and historical records from the US National Archives.

Live agent request National Archives Catalog / Connector

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AI Agent

Why people use National Archives Catalog

National Archives Catalog for Historical Research

With this Connector, you can just ask your agent to "find all records related to the 1920s jazz scene." It handles the queries, pulls the metadata, and lets you organize the results with tags. You get straight to the facts without the clicking.

What Vinkius changes

You get instant access to millions of primary sources through a chat interface.

Use it from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or another AI client you already have.

One account · 5,900+ Connectors

Real-world use case 01

Finding family history

A genealogist asks for "transcriptions of letters from the 1850s" and the agent uses `search_transcriptions` to find them.
Real-world use case 02

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.
Real-world use case 03

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.

Complete set · 40capabilities

The complete National Archives Catalog capability set.

These are the exact actions your AI can choose when you ask it to work with National Archives Catalog.

Capability set01 / 10

01—04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

01 Capability
Search records by tag
Find records that have been tagged with specific keywords. This helps you discover related items in a specific category.
02 Capability
Delete comment
Remove or deactivate a comment you no longer need. Use this to keep your research notes clean and relevant.
03 Capability
Delete contributions
Remove multiple contributions at once to clean up your data. This is a fast way to manage bulk changes to your research.
04 Capability
Delete tag
Remove or deactivate a tag from a specific record. Use this if you need to reorganize your research categories.

Capability set02 / 10

05—08

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

05 Capability
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.
06 Capability
Get announcements
See a list of all current announcements from the archives. This keeps you updated on the latest archival news.
07 Capability
Get comment
View a single comment by its unique ID. Use this to inspect specific notes left by other researchers.
08 Capability
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.

Capability set03 / 10

09—12

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

09 Capability
Get comments by userid
See all comments made by a specific contributor. This is great for following the work of specific citizen archivists.
10 Capability
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.
11 Capability
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.
12 Capability
Get justifications
Read the reasons for administrative actions on records. This helps you understand why certain records were modified or restricted.

Capability set04 / 10

13—16

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

13 Capability
Get latest announcements
See the most recent active announcements. This is the quickest way to see what's new in the National Archives.
14 Capability
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.
15 Capability
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.
16 Capability
Get tag
View a single tag by its unique ID. Use this to check the definition or context of a specific archive tag.

Capability set05 / 10

17—20

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

17 Capability
Get tags by naid
See all tags associated with a specific record. This helps you see how a document is categorized by the community.
18 Capability
Get tags by userid
See all tags created by a specific contributor. Use this to see how a specific researcher organizes their findings.
19 Capability
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.
20 Capability
Get transcription
View a single transcription by its ID. Use this to read the transcribed text of a historical document.

Capability set06 / 10

21—24

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

21 Capability
Get transcriptions by naid
See all transcriptions for a specific record. This allows you to compare different transcriptions of the same item.
22 Capability
Get transcriptions by userid
See all transcriptions made by a specific user. Use this to find all the transcribed work of a specific contributor.
23 Capability
Get user
See public profile data for a specific user. Use this to find information about other researchers in the catalog.
24 Capability
Get users
Search for public account data like usernames and roles. This is useful for finding specific community members.

Capability set07 / 10

25—28

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

25 Capability
Search comments
Search for specific comment data across the catalog. This helps you find discussions about specific historical topics.
26 Capability
Search contributions
Search for contribution data provided by the community. Use this to see how others are interacting with the archives.
27 Capability
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.
28 Capability
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.

Capability set08 / 10

29—32

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

29 Capability
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.
30 Capability
Search records by transcription
Find records based on their transcriptions. Use this to find documents by searching the actual text they contain.
31 Capability
Search records
Search for records using various URL parameters. This is the primary way to find specific historical documents in the catalog.
32 Capability
Search tags
Search for specific tag data within the system. Use this to find new categories for your research.

Capability set09 / 10

33—36

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

33 Capability
Search transcriptions
Search for specific transcription data. This helps you find transcribed records based on their content.
34 Capability
Update comment
Edit an existing comment on a record. Use this to refine your research notes as you learn more.
35 Capability
Update user
Update your public user information. Use this to keep your researcher profile current.
36 Capability
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.

Capability set10 / 10

37—40

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 40 available through National Archives Catalog.

37 Capability
Create tag
Add a new tag to a record for better organization. You can use this to group related historical items together.
38 Capability
Create transcription
Add a new transcription to a record for better accessibility. This helps make historical documents easier for others to read.
39 Capability
Get user notifications
Check your personal notifications from the archive system. This keeps you informed about your account activity.
40 Capability
Update transcription
Add or edit a transcription for better record clarity. This helps you improve the accessibility of historical documents.

Set up in minutes

One URL. Then ask National Archives Catalog to work.

Claude and ChatGPT only need the Connector URL. Copy it once, add it in settings, and use National Archives Catalog from the conversation.

Choose your client

Live preview

Advanced clients IDE · CLI

Claude · Web + desktop

Official guide ↗

Connector URL · ready to paste

Streamable HTTP

https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp

Step 01

Open Connectors

In Claude Web or Claude Desktop, open Settings and choose Connectors.
Step 02

Add the URL

Choose Add custom connector, name it National Archives Catalog, and paste the URL above.
Step 03

Turn it on in chat

Select +, open Connectors, and enable National Archives Catalog for the conversation.

ChatGPT · Web + desktop

Official guide ↗

Connector URL · ready to paste

Streamable HTTP

https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp

Step 01

Open MCP settings

On desktop, open Settings and MCP servers. On web, open your workspace app or connector settings.
Step 02

Add the URL

Choose Add server with Streamable HTTP, or create a custom MCP app, then paste the National Archives Catalog URL.
Step 03

Save and start

Save the connection and enable National Archives Catalog in your conversation. Desktop may ask you to restart once.

Cursor · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "national-archives-catalog": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open MCP Settings

Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) → search "MCP Settings"
Step 02

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above into the mcp.json file that opens
Step 03

Save the file

Cursor will automatically detect the new Connector
Step 04

Start using National Archives Catalog

Open Agent mode in chat and ask: "Using National Archives Catalog, help me...". 40 tools available

VS Code Copilot · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "national-archives-catalog": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root
Step 02

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above
Step 03

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown
Step 04

Start using National Archives Catalog

Ask Copilot: "Using National Archives Catalog, help me...". 40 tools available

Windsurf · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "national-archives-catalog": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open MCP Settings

Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Step 02

Add the server

Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Step 03

Save and reload

Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Step 04

Start using National Archives Catalog

Open Cascade and ask: "Using National Archives Catalog, help me...". 40 tools available

Cline · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "national-archives-catalog": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open Cline MCP Settings

Click the Connectors icon in the Cline sidebar panel
Step 02

Add remote server

Click "Add Connector" and paste the configuration above
Step 03

Enable the server

Toggle the server switch to ON
Step 04

Start using National Archives Catalog

Ask Cline: "Using National Archives Catalog, help me...". 40 tools available

Claude Code · Terminal command

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

claude mcp add national-archives-catalog --transport http "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CAN62kfCWXF7RUif0QgtxGGIjnr0OJgIUTdW3cA4/mcp"

Step 01

Install Claude Code

Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code if not already installed
Step 02

Add the Connector

Run the command above in your terminal
Step 03

Verify the connection

Run claude mcp to list connected servers, or type /mcp inside a session
Step 04

Start using National Archives Catalog

Ask Claude: "Using National Archives Catalog, show me...". 40 tools are ready

Where the request belongs

Work National Archives Catalog can move forward.

Built around the request

This is for the researchers who are tired of clicking through dozens of archive sub-folders to find one single primary source document.

01

Historian

They use this on Tuesday afternoons to pull primary source documents and metadata for a specific era without manual navigation.

02

Genealogist

They sift through millions of records and transcriptions to find specific family history data and archival links.

03

Educator

They find relevant historical photos and records to build curriculum materials directly from a chat interface.

04

Archivist

They manage and organize research findings by creating tags and comments directly within the catalog.

Build the capability set

Each Connector adds new actions and data without changing how you work.

Browse Connectors

01 8 capabilities

Library of Congress

Search and retrieve millions of historical items, maps, photos, and manuscripts from the world's largest library.

02 8 capabilities

GovInfo

Search and retrieve official US Government documents and publications via AI.

03 3 capabilities

Smithsonian Open Access

Explore millions of museum records, images, and digital assets from the Smithsonian Institution's vast collections.

04 4 capabilities

Federal Register API

Access US public documents. audit rules and agencies via AI.

05 6 capabilities

GovInfo (GPO Legislative Docs)

Access official US government documents, legislative bills, and federal registers directly from the GPO.

06 4 capabilities

FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information)

Access US government FOIA data. list agency components, retrieve request forms, and fetch annual reports directly from FOIA.gov.

Bring your own AI

Change the model, client or framework. Keep National Archives Catalog connected.

Before you connect

Questions about National Archives Catalog.

The practical details behind the request, access and result.

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 capability. 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 capability 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 capability allows you to add descriptive tags to a record using its National Archives Identifier (NaId), helping improve searchability for the community.

One connection away

Give your agent a direct line to National Archives Catalog.

Connect National Archives Catalog once. Keep it beside 5,900+ managed Connectors when the next task needs more.

Explore every Connector No credit card required · Free tier available