Collecting and Protecting Armenian Heritage for all to use

Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives promotes Armenian culture and heritage by making its historical photographs and their stories available for public use. We collect, document and preserve Armenian photography of all subjects, places and time periods relating to Armenian people.

Project SAVE’s original Armenian Photographs, from as early as 1869 bring to life who the Armenians are.

Our collections are created through contributions of photos from Armenians in all walks of life, as well as those with Armenian connections, such as descendants of missionaries and Near East Relief workers.

We have images documenting the Armenian Genocide, as well as images from foreign missionaries serving through the Ottoman Empire which provide important testimony. The majority of our Armenian historical photographs are from all over the world, through contemporary times.

Of special interest to us is documenting the work of Armenian photographers, in addition to Armenian photography.

Collaborations with Boston Public Library’s Digital Commonwealth, Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife Festival, USC Shoah Foundation, Armenian Genealogy conferences and Houshamadyan are ways we share Armenian photographs and their stories with wider audiences and increasingly beyond the Armenian community.

Dance class at Martasiragan Jemaran (Armenian Philanthropic College), founded in 1821, Calcutta, India, c. 1938; photo by Headmaster Levon Kalemkiarian. Courtesy of Alice Kalemkiarian, Levon's Daughter

The time and care invested to collect, document and catalog each image is both costly and labor intensive, yet tremendously valuable. Your generous support makes the services we provide possible, please contribute today!

Unidentified Armenian family; Chemeshgezek, Kharpert Province, Ottoman Empire, c. 1905; photo by Krikor Takvorian. In mid life, photographer Takvorian escaped Chemeshgezek during the Genocide, lived and worked the rest of his life as a woolen-mill dyer in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Courtesy of Nubar Manoog Ashjian, another Chemeshgezek Genocide Survivor

We are increasing access to the Armenian archives as researchers from around the world contact us in search of images and information for their fascinating projects. We welcome hundreds of researchers, scholars, artists, and authors to use our archival resources.

Anna Aleksanyan and Marina Prazyan looking through photo documentation

“Project SAVE is a wonderful way to preserve our past for future generations to remember our Armenian history and culture.”

-Violet Dagdigian

Matthew, a student at Hampshire College and his mom came in to do research on Musa Dagh/Musa Ler. In our archives we also have newspaper articles and print materials that were helpful to Mathew's work, in addition to photographs.

Rehan Miskci, an Armenian artist/photographer originally from Istanbul, and now based in New York, found us on Instagram. She came in to do research as she develops a project that explores the relationship between studio photography and Armenian identity. She exhibits in Beirut, Istanbul, and New York.

We work to keep

the Armenian experience alive by

- Collecting, documenting, and cataloging photographs

- Connecting people with their family photographs

- Providing visual resources to researchers

- Informing our youth about the Armenian journey.

Contribute today!