Minister of Home Affairs Lameck Mangani and Ambassador of Finland Sinikka Antila

On the 17th of December 2009, the National Archives of Zambia launched the exhibition gallery and modern theatre room.  In this exhibition we present to you the history of Zambia using the different types of materials that are kept at the National Archives of Zambia.  The history is told through the following themes: Chiefly Institutions, Economic Development and Political Resistance. Having explored Zambia’s past, we then wish to educate you about the purpose and vision of the National Archives of Zambia.
We hereby cordially invite the public to visit the exhibition on Zambia’s rich history at a nominal fee. Visits by schools are especially encouraged. Viewing of historical films can be arranged for groups of visitors.

Opening times:  9:00 to 16:00 weekdays (excluding public holidays)

Exhibition entrance fees

Zambians
-adults (above 16)                                          ZMK 10,000
-children                                                        ZMK   5,000
Schools (groups of 30)                                    ZMK 50,000
Foreigners                                                     ZMK 50,000

With the assistance of Embassy of Finland the following collections have been digitized:

June 3, 2008
British South African Company Collection now digitized!
The British South African Company took control and administration over Northern Rhodesia (current Zambia) from 1896 onwards. Until 1911 Northern Rhodesia was divided in two: northeastern and northwestern Rhodesia. Amalgamation of the two territories took place in 1911. In 1924 the company officially handed over the administrative rule to the British Colonial Office. The British South African Company (BSAC) collection is therefore divided in the following categories:
BS1 - Northeastern Rhodesia 1896-1911
BS2 - Northwestern Rhodesia 1896-1911
BS3 - Northern Rhodesia (Amalgamated) 1911-1924
BS1 and BS2 are digitized.

April 22, 2008
Colonial and Post Colonial Stamps Collection now digitized!
Colonial
From 1840 until Queen Victoria's death in 1901, the design of British stamps remained essentialy unchanged. Embodying an intensification of imperial imagery, the monarch's head was consistently surmounted or associated with the imperial crown. In 1952 the practice changed again. Apart from Queen II's coronation, on which both the imperial and state crowns appear, the crown disappeared almost entirely from British stamps. Between 1952 and 1966 Queen Elizabeth, like her great-grandmother, was invariably depicted wearing a tiara, but since then some commemorative issues have used a bare-headed version of the Queen's profile.
Post-Colonial
From 1964 to the late 1980s, Gabriel Ellison, at the time the Head of the Graphic Arts section at the Ministry of Information, designed Zambia's stamps. These consisted of commemorative stamps, which would run for an average of 5 years. The Stamp Board decided on themes and had the final say in the design. From 1988 onwards a company based in the United States took over the design, which immediately became apparent. Gabriel Ellison still designs commemorative stamps, e.g. for the Jesuits jubilee celebration.

February 4, 2008
Colonial and Post Colonial Maps Collection now digitized!
Pre-colonial
It was during the search for maps within National Archives of Zambia's repository that we came across an interesting collection of old looking maps. As it turned out, and this was confirmed by an expert from the University of Edinburgh, these maps of (southern) Africa are originals. Some date back as far as the year 1600.
Colonial and Post Colonial
The National Archives of Zambia hold 3,000 maps, colonial and post-colonial. All maps have been digitized.

December 12, 2007
Colonial and Post Colonial Pictures Collection now digitized!
The colonial and post colonial of pictures stored ad National Archives of Zambia number more than 60,000 pictures starting from 1899 up to date.

Sept 30, 2005
District Notebook Collection now digitized!
The District Notebooks are a unique and valuable source of historical, political, administrative, ethnographical and anthropological information. They were kept at district administrative stations (bomas). Entries were made in these notebooks by district officials on a wide range of administrative and historical subjects. They are now available in digital form.