About the Archive

The Badmatidaran Archive collects and shares historical material related to Armenian history, culture, heritage, and everyday life. Material may come from individuals, families, organizations, schools, businesses, associations, institutions, collectors, and other sources.

You do not need to have a large collection to contribute. A single photograph, letter, document, recording, or other item may be historically valuable.

What We Accept

We welcome material including:

• Photographs and photograph albums
• Letters, postcards, diaries, notebooks, and personal papers
• Certificates, identification documents, school records, and other documents
• Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, pamphlets, and clippings
• Posters, invitations, programs, advertisements, menus, and other printed material
• Material produced by Armenian schools, churches, organizations, clubs, associations, businesses, and institutions
• Maps, directories, catalogues, and similar publications
• Historical audio recordings
• Home movies, VHS recordings, film footage, and other historical video
• Photographs or records of historically significant objects, artworks, clothing, crafts, inscriptions, and similar material
• Other material that helps document Armenian people, communities, places, institutions, culture, or everyday life

Material does not have to be extremely old. More recent material may also have historical value.

What We Do Not Accept

We generally do not accept:

• Material with no meaningful connection to Armenian history, culture, or heritage
• Files downloaded from the internet when the submitter does not own the original or have permission to share them
• Material whose ownership or source has been deliberately misrepresented
• Altered or manipulated historical images presented as originals
• AI-generated recreations presented as historical material
• Material submitted primarily for advertising or commercial promotion
• Content that unlawfully exposes private or sensitive information about living individuals

Badmatidaran may decline any submission that does not fit the purpose of the archive or that cannot be responsibly published.

Scanning Photographs and Documents

Whenever possible, we recommend using a scanner. Scan the entire photograph or document, including its edges.

For most material, 300 dpi or higher is recommended. For small photographs or documents containing fine details, 600 dpi is preferable.

Please keep the highest-quality original scan available. Avoid sending only screenshots or copies that have already been compressed through social media or messaging applications.

If there is writing, a stamp, date, dedication, photographer's mark, or other information on the back of an item, please scan the back as well.

Using a Smartphone

If you do not have access to a scanner, a good smartphone photograph is completely acceptable. For the best result:

• Place the photograph or document on a clean, flat surface
• Use bright, even lighting
• Avoid direct flash, reflections, and strong shadows
• Hold the phone directly above the item rather than photographing it from an angle
• Make sure the camera is parallel to the item
• Include the entire item and all of its edges in the photograph
• Make sure the image is sharp and the writing is readable
• Use your phone's highest available image quality
• Photograph the front and back if both contain information

Please do not use filters, background removal, AI enhancement, artificial sharpening, or other tools that change the original appearance of the material.

If an item is inside a reflective plastic sleeve and can safely be removed, photograph it outside the sleeve to reduce glare.

Albums, Notebooks, and Collections

If you are submitting an album, notebook, scrapbook, or similar collection, photograph the item as a whole before photographing individual pages.

Whenever possible, keep pages and files in their original order. Do not separate photographs from albums or remove labels, notes, or other information simply for the purpose of submitting them.

Audio and Video

We also welcome historical audio and video recordings, including cassette recordings, home videos, VHS recordings, film footage, performances, interviews, broadcasts, and recordings of community events.

Please submit the highest-quality digital copy available and avoid unnecessary compression or repeated conversion between file formats.

If the original recording is on tape, film, VHS, cassette, or another physical format and you are unsure how to digitize it, you may contact Badmatidaran before submitting.

Tell Us What You Know

Context makes archival material much more useful. When possible, tell us:

• What the item is
• When it was created
• Where it comes from
• Who appears in it
• Who created or photographed it
• What event, place, organization, or activity it relates to
• How the material came into your possession
• Any story or information connected to it

You do not need to know everything. If a name, place, or date is uncertain, please tell us that it is uncertain rather than guessing.

Permission and Publication

Please submit material that you own, that belongs to your family or organization, or that you have permission to share.

Submitting material does not guarantee publication. Badmatidaran reviews submissions before deciding whether and how they should appear in the archive and may contact you for additional information.

Unless otherwise agreed, ownership of the original material remains with its owner. Submission gives Badmatidaran permission to review the material for possible inclusion in the archive.

For information about how the personal information you submit is handled, please refer to our Privacy Policy.