The Digital Library of Mexico | Biblioteca Digital Mexicana (BDMx) is a joint effort by Mexican institutions to create a digital collection of archival documents covering the history of Mexico from 500 AD to 1949. These collections include maps, manuscripts, books, church codices and more.

Online Collections

You can search the online collections by Time Period, Topic, Type (manuscript, map, painting, book, etc), or Institution. Topics include:

• French Intervention
• Independence
• Palafox and Lampart
• Plans and Maps
• Miscellany
• Jesuits
• Pictography and indigenous languages
• Revolution
• Peaceful
• Veracruz

The Institutions include:

• The General Archive of the Nation | Archivo General de la Nación – is a decentralized organ of the Ministry of the Interior, rector of national archives, whose mission is to preserve, disseminate and increase the documentary heritage of Mexico, in order to safeguard the national memory; as well as promoting the organization of updated administrative files.
• The Historical Archive of the State of Tlaxcala | Archivo Histórico del Estado de Tlaxcala, dependent on the Trust of History School of Tlaxcala, has as its main objectives to order, conserve, disseminate and facilitate the consultation of the historical documentary heritage it protects.
• The Benson Latin American Collection has the custody of important cultural heritage assets among which is the set of buildings of the colonial era, headquarters of some of its faculties and dependencies, as well as the great collection of books and old documents of the José Historical Library María Lafragua
• The Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, belonging to the University of Texas at Austin, has the mission of preserving and facilitating the consultation of documentary sources for the study of Latin America and the inhabitants of Hispanic origin in the United States.
• The Library of Mexico | Biblioteca de México, José Vasconcelos, of the General Directorate of Libraries of the CNCA, has a rich collection, which includes special collections that belonged to eminent bibliophiles and that has now been enriched by the acquisition of personal funds of José Luis Martínez, Antonio Castro Leal, Jaime García Terrés, Ali Chumacero and shortly with Carlos Monsiváis.
• The Palafoxiana Library | Biblioteca Palafoxiana – In 1646 Bishop Juan de Palafox donated 5,000 books to the colleges of San Juan, San Pedro and San Pablo. This donation was the basis of the Palafoxiana library, which today houses more than 45,000 volumes between books and manuscripts. UNESCO has given the title of Memory of the World to its old fund.
• Russell Library | Biblioteca Russell – It houses the historical collections of St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, which was founded in 1795 as a seminary for the education of Irish priests. It contains approximately 34,000 printed works that date from the 16th century to the mid-19th century, and span a thematic range that includes: theology, mathematics, science, geography and history. Other important collections include Medieval and Gaelic manuscripts, archival material and incunabula (printed before 1501).
• The Center for the Study of History of Mexico | Centro de Estudios de Historia de México was created by Condumex, with the aim of specifying the concerns of social interest and cultural nature present from the beginning in the consciousness of the founders and leaders of the company.
• The INAH | Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia is the federal government agency, founded in 1939, which guarantees the research, conservation, protection and dissemination of the prehistoric, archaeological, anthropological, historical and paleontological heritage of Mexico. Its creation has been fundamental to preserve our cultural heritage.
• Manuel Orozco and Berra Map Library | Mapoteca Manuel Orozco y Berra – It belongs to the Agroalimentary and Fishing Information Service, Decentralized Organ of SAGARPA. The 150 thousand documents that make up its collection are a valuable and faithful witness of the transformation of the National Territory and the consolidation of our entity and sovereignty. The cartographic documents range from the year 1620 to the present and are divided into different collections: Don Manuel Orozco y Berra, Pan-American Institute of Geography and History, INEGI and UNAM, among others.
• The Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Library (Cervantina Library), located in the Rectoría building of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey Campus, has in custody an important collection of printed and manuscripts corresponding to various disciplines such as history, geography, literature and anthropology.
• The Royal Library | Real Biblioteca is an advanced research center on the private bibliographical collections of the royal house since the reign of Felipe V. Its headquarters is in the Royal Palace of Madrid. It belongs to Patrimonio Nacional, a public body that holds property owned by the State that is affected by the use and service of the King and members of the Royal Family.
• The University of the Americas Puebla | Universidad de las Américas Puebla protects in its Directorate of Libraries an important documentary collection of sources for the study of History. These collections and archives are organized, preserved and disseminated through the use of information and communication technologies.
• Universidad Iberoamericana – One of the objectives of the Francisco Xavier Clavigero Library of the Universidad Iberoamericana is to preserve, conserve and make it possible to consult ancient bibliographical materials or documentary collections that, by their nature, are unique and irreplaceable sources for historical research in Mexico and various disciplines. This objective is carried out through the Historical Collection Area.