Canopus in Argos: Archives is a sequence of five science fiction novels by Nobel laureate author Doris Lessing, which portray a number of societies at different stages of development, over a great period of time.

The five books have also appeared compiled in a single volume entitled Canopus in Argos: Archives (1992, ISBN 0-679-74184-4).

This set of writings represented a major shift of focus for Lessing, influenced by spiritual and mystical themes in Sufism, in particular by Idries Shah.

[5] This prompted her to write in the preface to the third book, The Sirian Experiments:[6] I would so like it if reviewers and readers could see this series, Canopus in Argos: Archive, as a framework that enables me to tell (I hope) a beguiling tale or two; to put questions, both to myself and to others; to explore ideas and sociological possibilities.Later Lessing discovered that many younger people who had read the Canopus series were not interested in her other works.

"[7] The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 and The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five have been adapted as operas by composer Philip Glass with librettos written by Lessing.