Zion Archives

Archival boxes on a table in Zion National Park archives. — 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.

Located in Southwestern Utah, Zion National Park serves as a repository for its National Park Service neighbors: Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Finding aids

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.

Record Group 6 - Environmental Compliance

Record Group 14 - Cultural Resources

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.

Closed on Federal Holidays.

Access and use policies

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.

A historic pot filled with corn photographed inside the park museum building.

Zion Human History Museum

Discover virtual exhibits and learn more about visiting the Zion Human History Museum.

Handcolored glass slide of bluebells and columbine flowers from Cedar Breaks National Monument

NPGallery

Explore the museum collections through these digitized materials.

Ebenezer Bryce biographical information on old sheets of paper

Bryce Canyon Collections

Find out more about the museum and archives collections at Bryce Canyon.

Cedar Breaks National Monument Master Plan Cover from the 1930s

Cedar Breaks Collections

Find out more about the museum and archives collections at Cedar Breaks.

A large group of people sits in front of the Zion Nature Center in 1989.

Oral History

Lend an ear to the memories of the past through Zion's oral history collection.

Last updated: June 4, 2025

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 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT, but a ranger may not answer if they are already speaking with someone else.

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Zion Archives

Finding aids

Hours

Access and use policies

Forms you will need to sign to do research

Conducting Research

Rules for Conduct

Producing Citations

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Phone:

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Contact Us

Zion Archives

Finding aids

Hours

Access and use policies

Forms you will need to sign to do research

Access Policy

Conducting Research

Rules for Conduct

Producing Citations

Copyright and Privacy Restrictions

Research Room Rules

Researcher Registration Form

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Phone:

Contact Us

Tools

Stay Connected