Appointments are strongly recommended. Walk-in researchers may be turned away if security requirements are not met or complied with.
Federal Center SW Metro Station at 401 3rd St. SW, is 1 block away, serving Silver, Blue, and Orange Lines. L'Enfant at 600 Maryland Ave. SW is just over a half mile walk, serving the Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow, and Green lines.
If you are staying at one of the hotels, you will have to pay for parking in the hotel parking lot. The nearest public garage is beside Federal Center SW Metro station. Google Maps will give you the best idea of where parking lots are. Street parking is limited and on a meter system.
A few days before your visit, contact the archives to make an appointment. Because we are a federal agency, we have security protocols that must be complied with. If they are not, researchers can and may be turned away.
We will need:
Our archivists can work with you to make the most of your vist with a little bit of communication! Please look through our Finding Aids page, and talk to the archivists to make sure that the materials you are looking for are here. You may find what you are looking for already scanned and available online by looking through our DMS. If you are younger than 16, you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to perform research in our facility.
Please come to the West Entrance of the NASA Headquarters Building. There will be a security desk as soon as you walk in. You will stop there, tell the security personnel that you have an appointment for research in the Archives.
Please be prepared:
Permanent Lawful Residents are permitted to use the same procedures as U.S. citizens.
Please contact us at least 14 business days in advance to begin the security process. This timeline is not something NASA HQ Archives has any control over, and cannot be bypassed. Visitors who have not been cleared by security will not be admitted, regardless of whether they have an appointment.
Please come to the West Entrance of the NASA Headquarters Building. There will be a security desk as soon as you walk in. You will stop there, and tell the security personnel that you have an appointment for research in the Archives.
Please be prepared: