National Film and Sound Archive

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s national audiovisual cultural institution. We collect, preserve and share Australia’s audiovisual culture.

Australians were early adopters of film and sound technologies, and the appetite to make, enjoy and discuss audiovisual culture remains strong. 

From our earliest recordings in the 1890s to the latest games and immersive digital productions, the NFSA collection represents not only our technical and artistic achievements, but also our stories, obsessions and myths; our triumphs and sorrows; who we were, are, and want to be. Our memories, preserved with the uncanny immediacy of recorded sound and motion pictures. 

Our collection began in 1935, making us one of the first audiovisual archives in the world (some individual collection items date back to the 1890s). Originally known as the National Historical Film and Speaking Record Library, and operating under the auspices of the Commonwealth National Library, the NFSA became an independent cultural organisation in 1984. 

Today, the collection includes not only video and audio recordings, but also contextual materials such as costumes, scripts, props, photographs and promotional materials.

It is a diverse, dynamic and often surprising repository, ranging from items inducted into the UNESCO Memory of the World register to sporting matches, game shows and advertising jingles. 

As well as preserving these items for future generations, NFSA curators continue to build the collection, ensuring it provides an unbroken record of Australian creativity and diversity.  

The NFSA ensures that the collection is available for enjoyment, learning, research and re-use through a range of public programs and services.

These includeSounds of Australia, NFSA Restores,screenings and events, and learning programs delivered online and at ourheadquarters in Acton, Canberra.

The wealth of stories captured in the national audiovisual collection is also available to all Australians across the NFSA's digital channels and platforms.