Despite all the indications to the contrary, many of the most important Russian archives are open and worth investigating.
The goal of The Bridge is to illuminate archival sources and disseminate information about collections that are available (in-person and online) for use by students and young experts in the field. Research based on original source material is of paramount importance to moving the field of Russian Studies forward. Some highlights of this project include how to access critical archives such as RGANI, GARF, and the Foreign Ministry archives; tips on how to access archival material in regional archives that may be off-limits in Moscow; and how to access a variety of archival material online from the comfort of your own home or office.
The Bridge: Connecting Past and Present Through Archival Research on Russia is presented by the National Security Archive at George Washington University and the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Carnegie Corporation of New York provided funding for this project.