Residents can take a step back in time at a Bermuda Archives open house this week.

The second annual event will take place in the basement of the Government Administration Building on Parliament Street from 9.30am to 4pm on Friday, to mark International Archives Day.

A government spokeswoman said: “The Bermuda Archives had a very successful open-house event last year, with a large number of people taking advantage of our tours, interacting with our archivists and learning more about Bermuda’s history.

“International Archives Day is a day to reflect on the significant role archives play in maintaining, storing, conserving and preserving the cultural heritage of nations around the world.

“While the department houses the Government's historical records, we also preserve Bermuda's cultural heritage by maintaining collections from various organisations and community members.”

Items within Bermuda’s archives include parish records, registers of people who were enslaved, journals and records from the corporations of Hamilton and St George.

The spokeswoman added: “While June 9 is recognised as International Archives Day for the Department of Libraries and Archives, this year the day will be observed a few days earlier.

“This year the theme is ‘Digitise It’ as we explore the future of the business of archival science.”

Joanne Brangman, the head of libraries and archives, said the theme “highlights the Bermuda Archives’ commitment to using technology to safeguard Bermuda’s rich history and promote wider engagement with valuable resources”.

Multimedia officer Keith Caesar explained: “Our lives and stories are the very things that connect us to one another.

“It is important that we shed light on the information we possess.

“By digitising our collective history, we can preserve and access it more efficiently, securing the stories of Bermuda's journey for generations to come.”

• For more information about the archives or Friday’s open house, call 297-7737or e-mail archives@gov.bm