Cultural Heritage
We preserve irreplaceable cultural treasures — literature, music, film, art collections, and archives that embody human creativity and identity.
We preserve Humanity's knowledge & creativity
to build peace and inspire generations
The Arctic World Archive safeguards the world's most valuable digital memories: the cultural, scientific, and historical records that define who we are, preserved for centuries deep in the permafrost of Svalbard.
Our Mission
The Arctic World Archive Foundation (AWA) protects the world's most
valuable digital memories for future generations.
Inside a decommissioned mine deep within the permafrost of Svalbard,
we store the knowledge and achievements humanity cannot afford to
lose. Neutral, secure, and designed to endure for centuries — AWA
stands as a legacy for the world.
And at the heart of this preservation lies piqlFilm, an
ultra-long-term, tamper-proof storage technology that transforms
digital data into a resilient, future-readable optical format built
to last for centuries.
Who we serve
Because the past deserves a future, we safeguard digital media heritage from cyberattacks, obsolescence, electromagnetic pulses, and digital degradation for:
Sciences
Long-term preservation of essential scientific knowledge: climate records, environmental studies, and data vital to understanding our planet.
Institutional Archives
A trusted, politically neutral vault for national archives, constitutions, and official records that form the backbone of civic memory.
Corporate Legacy
Companies preserve their digital heritage — innovations, milestones, and archives that reflect their lasting impact on society.
Digital Knowledge
From open-source code to linguistic databases and maps, AWA safeguards the digital knowledge that sustains modern civilization.
Future Collections
We continue to expand — welcoming new partners, institutions, and nations to safeguard their data for generations to come.
Why it matters
Knowledge defines humanity.
Without preservation, we risk losing not only our past — but the
wisdom to shape our future. AWA ensures that our collective memory
remains accessible, authentic, and secure, no matter what the future
hold.
Join the Legacy
Knowledge defines humanity.
Institutions, governments, companies, and creators from every
continent have already entrusted AWA with their most valuable data.
Join them — and ensure your digital heritage endures beyond
generations.
Together, we safeguard the world's knowledge so
that humanity will always remember its story.
