Historical background
The Archives dates its origin from March 1941, when the Central State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) was founded.
The Archives began its actual activities only after the liberation of Belarus from the occupying Nazi forces in 1944. The archival documents were initially held in the repository of the State Archives of Minsk Region. From October 1949, the archives were located in the building of St. Mary Magdalene's church-chapel in Minsk.
In November 1963, the Archives received the name of the Central State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings.
In 1987, the Archives moved to the town of Dzerzhinsk in the Minsk region, where a new building was specially built for its holdings.
In May 1993, the Archives was renamed the Belarusian State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings.