The Vatican Secret Archives were founded by Pope Paul V at the beginning of the 17th century, and conserve the richest and most valuable collection of documents in the world, and for centuries have been the treasure chest of the majority of documentary wealth of the Holy See. More than one thousand years’ history are guarded and lined up in the Vatican Palazzos on around 90 km of shelves, and is “told” by the various deeds, testimony and rare and precious documents.

The Vatican Secret Archives are of universal historic value for the documents that tell the history of civilisation and different countries from medieval times until now; in fact for some countries the Vatican documents are the oldest ones related to them. Thanks to the goodness of Pope Leone XIII the Papal archives were opened to scholars in 1880-1881, and they became the most important historic research centre in the world.

The Paleography, Diplomatic and Archive School was founded on 1st May 1884 and is still very active under the vigil management of the prefect Father Sergio Pagano. 

The important cultural work of the Vatican Secret Archives involves studying, examining and publishing the documents that are kept there, above all to serve the Pope and his See and also the rest of the academic world. The Vatican Secret Archives cooperate with scholars from many nations, taking part in archive missions, congresses, conferences, exhibitions and documentary shows, supplying material, backup and human resources to international institutions, like the “International Archives Committee”, the “International Sphragistics Committee, the “International Archives Round Table” and the “Commission for training Guides in the sources for the History of Nations”.

The Vatican Secret Archives, aware of the amazing historic value of their contents and the responsibility that derives, have always been committed to safeguarding and protecting all the wealth that they have guarded over the centuries. During the papacy of John XXIII (1958-1963), the photographic chamber and the document restoration and binding laboratory were officially opened. Later a highly specialised seal recovery and restoration laboratory was also opened.