Archival boxes on table in the Zion National Park archives.
NPS / Jonathan Shafer
The mission of the Zion Archives mirrors that of the National Park Service—to protect and preserve the park’s resources for the enjoyment and education of current and future generations.
The Zion Archives are home to the history of the park, documenting the natural and cultural resource records created by the National Park Service from the early years of Mukuntuweap National Monument in 1909 to the present. In addition to history of Zion National Park, the collections also preserve the history of Mormon Pioneers and Indigenous People that inhabited the valley long before, during, and after the European American history of the park. Maps, historic photographs, and oral histories are just a few examples of the records maintained in the archives.
Due to an ongoing project to reorganize the Zion Archives, we do not have finding aids for every collection. We will share new finding aids as we move ahead with the reorganization.
Please email us with any collections related questions.
Hours
Email us before you arrive in the park so that we can confirm an archivist is available on the day of your visit. Research visits usually happen Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Research in the Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Zion archival collections are available by appointment only. We will ask you to read and sign forms that explain how to protect park records. If you can, please email us and we will email you the forms before your visit. If you do not fill the forms out before you get here, we will give you paper copies to read and review when you get to the park.
Forms you will need to sign to do research
When you arrive at Zion, we will give you forms to read and sign. Read below so that you are prepared to share the information we need.
The following conditions for access are designed to better preserve the archival materials of Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Zion National Park with the ultimate goal of protecting records against the possibilities of damages and/or theft. These policies will be enforced during the duration of the research visit.
Conducting Research
Research appointment requests must be made with a minimum of 24-hour notice, but does not guarantee museum personnel availability.
Research will only be conducted following an appointment made with Zion National Park Museum Division personnel.
Zion National Park requires all researchers to sign and acknowledge the Access Policy, Reading Room Rules, Copyright and Privacy Restrictions, and Registration yearly.
All National Park Service staff and non-National Park Service personnel will be accompanied when around museum and archives collections by Museum Division staff.
Rules for Conduct
No writing implements other than graphite pencils. Pens and marks are prohibited.
Personal items such as bags, coats, and backpacks must be kept away from collections and out of collections storage spaces at all times.
Scanners cannot be provided and are the responsibility of the researcher. Cameras without the use of flash are authorized. Records that are delicate must be requested for scanning or copy production.
Computers, tape recorders, and note-taking devices are authorized.
No food or water in the reading room or near collections.
Museum Division personnel reserve the right to restrict access to sensitive or fragile materials.
Researchers who disregard the policies and rules will be denied access at the discretion of the Museum Division staff.
Producing Citations
Museum Citation example: “Courtesy National Park Service, Zion National Park, Natural History Collection, ZION 1234.”
Archives Citation example: “Courtesy National Park Service, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Central Files Collection.”
Handling Procedures
Prior to all research appointments beginning in the facility, hands must be thoroughly washed with soap and warm water.
Archival collections, with the exception of photographs, are to be handled carefully without gloves and may never be slid, folded, or tucked away for any reason.
Researchers must maintain the order of the records as they were distributed to them. Additional information about removing folders will be explained during the appointment.
Bound materials will open carefully, never exceeding the limits of the binding. Additional assistance by Museum Division personnel will be given in these instances.
Cotton gloves will be provided to researchers conducting photograph or artifact research. Proper handling of artifacts will be the responsibility of the Museum Division staff.
At no point should a researcher attempt to re-order or repair documents or artifacts.
The National Park Service will require you to read, sign, and date a form with these terms when you arrive at the park archives.
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The various state privacy acts govern the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:
non-commercial and non-profit study, scholarship, or research, or teaching
criticism, commentary, or news reporting
as a National Park Service preservation or security copy
as a research copy for deposit in another institution
If I, the researcher, later use a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," I, the researcher, am personally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement and agree to indemnify the National Park Service from any legal action as a result of the error. The National Park Service's permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document doesn't indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from this document without first obtaining permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.
Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained by the researcher separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g., employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright isn't necessarily the National Park Service. The National Park Service is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."
This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy or publicity law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.
The National Park Service will require you to read, sign, and date a form with these terms when you arrive at the park archives.
The following rules and regulations are designed to better preserve the archival materials of Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA), Cedar Breaks National Monument (CEBR), and Zion National Park (ZION) and to protect them against the possibilities of damages and/or theft. They will be enforced during the duration of the research visit.
No food, drink, or gum of any kind are permitted in the reading room. A closed water bottle will be allowed given that it remains on the floor away from the materials.
No ink of any kind is permitted. Please only use pencil.
All bags, purses, and coats must remain in the designated area.
Materials shall be handled one box and one folder at a time. Materials not in use will remain on the library cart and will be moved only by Museum staff.
Museum staff will remain in the reading room with the materials at all times.
All materials shall be handled with care and left in the same order in which they were found.
The park reserves the right to limit access to fragile or restricted collections.
Scans and photographs of materials are allowed for research purposes only. No flash is permitted when taking photographs of materials. High-quality scans are available at a fee upon request. Ask Museum staff for more information. Such scans to do constitute permission to publish.
Citations shall be written “Courtesy National Park Service, Zion National Park, [title of collection]”
A mandatory break for lunch will be instituted daily from 12pm to 1pm. During this time, all visitors must vacate the reading room.
Face masks are highly recommended, but not required.
Research in the BRCA, CEBR, and ZION archives is available by appointment only. Before research can be conducted, all visitors must complete a Researcher Registration Form and present a valid photo ID upon entering the building.
The National Park Service will require you to read, sign, and date a form with these terms when you arrive at the park archives.
Researchers need to share information about their projects in order to work in the Zion Archive. We will provide a form when you get to Zion that will ask for:
Name
Date beginning research
Picture ID with its registration number (e.g. drivers license and drivers license number)
Institutional Affiliation
Work address
Work phone
Work fax (if applicable)
Work email address
Home address
Home phone
Home fax (if applicable)
Personal email address
We will also ask you to:
Share how you learned about the park archival collection.
Share a research project summary.
Explain your plans to use the collection in published work (publisher, type of publication, and anticipated date of publication).
Estimate how many photocopies you might need.
Share other special requirements.
List the names and box numbers of documents you read.
Lend an ear to the memories of the past through Zion's oral history collection.
Last updated: August 21, 2023
Park footer
Contact Info
Mailing Address:
Zion National Park
1 Zion Park Blvd.
Springdale,
UT
84767
Phone:
435-772-3256
If you have questions, please email zion_park_information@nps.gov.
Listen to recorded information by calling anytime 24 hours a day.
Rangers answer phone calls from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. MT, but a ranger may not answer if they are already speaking with someone else.
