# NARA Catalog Extractor - US National Archives (`centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor`) Actor

Search the US National Archives (NARA) catalog by keyword or record ID and get every digitized file: direct download URL, file type, title, date and record hierarchy. Use it to find and fetch historical government documents, photos and records. Keyless, public domain.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor.md
- **Developed by:** [Centor Prat](https://apify.com/centorprat) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, AI
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $4.25 / 1,000 row returneds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## 🗄️ NARA Catalog Extractor

**Search the US National Archives — get download URLs.** Give a keyword (or a specific record/
collection `naId`) and get **every digital object's direct download URL** plus metadata, as
structured JSON. The only dedicated NARA-catalog extractor on the Store.

Headless · **keyless** · structured JSON out · built for AI agents.

### ⚡ Why it's different

The other government actors wrap the Federal Register or Data.gov — not the **archival catalog**
itself. This one searches NARA and hands you the actual **file URLs** (PDF/TIFF/image/text), ready
to download or chain into a PDF/OCR extractor.

### 📋 What you get (one row per digital object)

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `naId` | The record's National Archives ID |
| `title` | Record title |
| `recordUrl` | Catalog page for the record |
| `objectFilename` | The file's name |
| `objectUrl` | **Direct download URL** for the file |
| `fileExtension`, `fileType` | `.pdf`/`.tif`/… and `readable` / `media` / `record` |

### 📥 Input

| Field | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| `query` | string | Keyword search (use this **or** `naId`), e.g. `UAP` |
| `naId` | string | A specific record/collection; collections page their descendants automatically |
| `includeMedia` | boolean | Include audio/video (default: readable only) |
| `maxObjects` | integer | Optional cap on rows |
| `maxRecords` | integer | Keyword search: how many records to pull (default 25) |
| `fileTypes` | array | Only return objects with these extensions, e.g. `["pdf","tif"]` |
| `webhookUrl` | string | POST results here (Zapier/Make/n8n/custom) |

**Example input**

```json
{ "query": "UAP", "maxRecords": 5 }
```

### 📤 Output (one row per digital object)

```json
{
  "naId": "499915731", "title": "UAP 10/26/2024",
  "recordUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/499915731",
  "objectFilename": "237UAP00386.pdf",
  "objectUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/.../237UAP00386.pdf",
  "fileExtension": ".pdf", "fileType": "readable", "capturedAt": "2026-..."
}
```

### 💡 Use cases

- **Researchers / journalists / genealogists:** pull an entire collection's files in one call.
- **RAG / AI pipelines:** get the file URLs, then chain to a PDF/OCR extractor to read them.
- **FOIA / OSINT:** turn a topic search into a downloadable document set.
- **Archival backups:** enumerate a collection's digital objects programmatically.

### 🤖 For AI agents (MCP)

Keyless, one call → the record list with **direct file URLs**, ready to chain. Example MCP config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nara-catalog": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor"
    }
  }
}
```

**Claude Code:** `claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor" --header "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>"`

No extra setup: this Actor is callable from Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT or any MCP client through the Apify MCP server, and agents can find it on their own with the server's `search-actors` tool.

### 🚀 Ready-made tasks (one click)

Pre-configured runs for the most common jobs. Open one, change the input, run:

- [UAP & UFO Records from the US National Archives](https://apify.com/centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor/examples/uap-ufo-records-national-archives): Find declassified UAP and UFO records in the US National Archives catalog with direct download links for every digitized file.
- [JFK Assassination Records: Download Links (NARA)](https://apify.com/centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor/examples/jfk-assassination-records-download): Direct download links for JFK assassination records in the US National Archives catalog, with titles, dates and record hierarchy.
- [US National Archives Photo Search (Download URLs)](https://apify.com/centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor/examples/national-archives-photo-search): Search public-domain historical photos in the US National Archives and get direct JPG/TIFF download URLs with titles and dates.

### ❓ FAQ

- **Do I need an API key?** No — the NARA catalog API is public and keyless.
- **Keyword or naId?** `query` searches by topic; `naId` targets one record or a whole collection (its descendants are paged for you).
- **What file types?** PDF, TIFF/JPG/PNG images, text/JSON/CSV; audio/video only if `includeMedia` is on.
- **A record with no files?** Search hits with no digital objects return as a record-only row (so nothing is lost).
- **How many results?** Up to `maxObjects`; keyword mode pulls up to `maxRecords` records (20/page).
- **Can I read the file contents here?** This returns the URLs + metadata; chain to a PDF/OCR extractor for text.
- **Is data stored?** No — fetched, returned.
- **Commercial use?** NARA archival descriptions and US federal records are generally public domain.

### 📜 Data & attribution

Data from the **US National Archives Catalog** (`catalog.archives.gov`). Public catalog metadata and
object pointers; nothing stored.

### 🔗 Related actors

Part of one suite of keyless, agent-ready composers by the same developer:

- [Shopify Store Leads + App Audit (Reviews, Email, Pixels)](https://apify.com/centorprat/shopify-store-leads-app-audit): Shopify stores by niche, verified and audited for missing apps (reviews, email/SMS, upsell, loyalty, chat, subscriptions), pixels and theme: scored leads with emails.
- [Google Maps Leads + Website Audit for Agencies](https://apify.com/centorprat/google-maps-leads-website-audit): local businesses from Google Maps audited for website, Google profile, reviews, booking and tracking gaps: scored, explained leads with phone and emails.
- [FEMA Flood Zone & Property Risk API - Zillow/Redfin Enricher](https://apify.com/centorprat/fema-flood-zone-property-risk): FEMA flood zone + 18-hazard FEMA risk index + neighborhood demographics per US address, or for a whole Zillow/Redfin dataset.
- [Domain Lookup API - DNS, MX, SPF, Tech & Contact Emails](https://apify.com/centorprat/domain-lookup-dns-mx-email): DNS + live homepage → IPs, MX/SPF, tech, socials and public contacts per domain.
- [Wikipedia & Wikidata API - Entity Facts, Summary & Pageviews](https://apify.com/centorprat/wikipedia-wikidata-api): Wikipedia + Wikidata + pageviews → one structured brief per company, person or place.
- [Country Economic Data API - World Bank GDP, FX & Holidays](https://apify.com/centorprat/world-bank-country-economic-data): World Bank + FX + public holidays → one market brief per country.
- [Weather, Air Quality & Earthquake Risk API by Location](https://apify.com/centorprat/weather-air-quality-earthquake-api): live weather + air quality + earthquakes → one clear/caution/hazard verdict per point, worldwide.
- [Aircraft Tracker API (ADS-B) - Approach & Military Alerts](https://apify.com/centorprat/aircraft-tracker-adsb): aircraft approaching a point with CPA/ETA + military/unidentified flags and alerts.

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

Search the NARA catalog by keyword (person, topic, agency, place...). Use this OR naId. Example: UAP

## `naId` (type: `string`):

A specific NARA catalog record number. If it's a collection/series with no direct objects, its descendant records' objects are paged automatically. Use this OR query.

## `includeMedia` (type: `boolean`):

By default only readable objects (PDF, text, images) are returned. Enable to also include video/audio.

## `maxObjects` (type: `integer`):

Optional hard cap on how many rows to return.

## `maxRecords` (type: `integer`):

In keyword-search mode, how many catalog records to pull (20 per page).

## `fileTypes` (type: `array`):

Only return objects with these file extensions (no dot), e.g. \["pdf","tif"]. Leave empty for all types.

## `webhookUrl` (type: `string`):

If set and the run returns rows, they are POSTed here as JSON. Pair with a schedule to watch a query for new records. Works with Zapier/Make/n8n/custom endpoints.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "UAP",
  "includeMedia": false,
  "maxRecords": 25
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `objects` (type: `string`):

One row per digital object (record naId + title + record URL + object filename + direct download URL + file type), plus record-only rows for search hits with no digital objects.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "UAP"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "query": "UAP" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "UAP"
}' |
apify call centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,centorprat/nara-catalog-extractor"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/t888prvJn8cSDEYrW/builds/RaQgq80fUnBn1ER0L/openapi.json