It has a large collection of documents, photographs, films, recordings, newspapers, and other materials, mostly related to the Italian colonization in the region and to the history of Caxias do Sul, whose value and extent place the institution as an important reference in the state.

The historic building, the former residence and business of Vicente Rovea, located at 318 Júlio de Castilhos Avenue, is protected by IPHAE and by the City Hall.

[1] In 1919, when the intendant José Pena de Moraes reorganized the public services, he determined that the Archive should systematically collect "the books and papers of all the administration departments, according to their importance".

[2] During the Grape Festival in 1950, which would celebrate the 75 years of Italian immigration, historian João Spadari Adami was called by the City Hall to select, from the collection of documents in the Municipal Archive, those of historical interest to be displayed in the exhibition pavilion.

[16] In the meantime, a debate began about the fate of Vicente Rovea's old house and business, a property of great historical value built in 1890, which by then was already very degraded and with its demolition scheduled for June 1979.

[21][22] Throughout this decade, the Archive developed relevant activity, despite its poor conditions, offering courses, participating in congresses and seminars, promoting exhibitions and fostering research,[7][23][24] becoming a reference in the state.

[26] The repair was delayed, and by 1989 part of the material from the Archive was already stored in the house, but in a state of abandonment since the doors had no locks and the property was constantly invaded by beggars and depredated by vandals.

According to a report by councilwoman Geni Peteffi, the recovery of the building was urgent, because the conditions of the Archive were terrible and the documentation was threatened by the rain that infiltrated the place.

[33] In 1997, a bill that added the name of historian João Spadari Adami to the official denomination of the institution, due to his important contribution to the rescue and preservation of local history, was approved.

[35] The Historical Archive houses a vast documentary collection, encompassing photographs, manuscripts, and official documents, as well as an oral memory bank, books, and other items.