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The article focuses on the history of the National Archives of Canada. It is stated that the first recorded acquisition of photographs by the National Archives was in 1897, but it was not until 1906 when the second Dominion archivist, Arthur Doughty, was authorized to expend money on acquiring paintings, drawings, prints and other visual documents of historical interests. The Archives began in 1872 as a branch of the Department of Agriculture with a mandate to collect documents of national significance. In 1912, an Act of Parliament established the Public Archives of Canada with a mandate to collect official records and historical documents. In 1987, the name was changed to the National Archives of Canada.