[3] The institution holds a collection of approximately 4.5 million textual documents (or one thousand linear meters),[4] covering the period from the 16th century to the first decades after the Proclamation of the Republic, as well as images and sound recordings.

[1] The AHM holds custody of the Minutes of the Chamber of Santo André da Borda do Campo, from the periods between 1555 and 1558, considered the oldest documents in Latin America.

Law number 1.051 of 1907 created a section in charge of the services of public instruction, statistics and municipal archives.

[8] Initially it was built to be an extension of the Polytechnic School, today a branch of the University of São Paulo, intended for the courses of Electrical engineering and Mechanics.

[9] In 1987, the building became the property of the São Paulo City Hall and, in 2000, after being subjected to renovations, it was opened to the public already housing the Municipal Historical Archive.

The flights of stairs that give access to the second floor were made by the São Paulo School of Arts and Crafts.

One, known as "Torre da Memória" (former Casa do Politécnico) houses the Library and a technical reserve; the other is where the archives are available for consultation.

[2] Since 2000, it has been located in the Ramos de Azevedo Building, at Praça Coronel Fernando Prestes in the Bom Retiro neighborhood.

In addition to the AHM, the Paula Souza Building, now belonging to FATEC, the Headquarters of the General Command of the Military Police, the Parish of Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora, and the Prudente de Moraes State School are located in this square.

[13] A year after its launch it was incorporated into the newly created Department of Culture and Recreation and began to circulate monthly.

The editorial line was diversified and articles by foreign authors and research on history, ethnology, sociology, anthropology and issues related to the preservation of national memory were published.

[1] The magazine gradually gained prominence and became an important communication vehicle for the São Paulo and Brazilian intelligentsia.

The iconographic collection that presents great historical value has images produced mainly in the first half of the 20th century.

[18] The AHM developed a tool entitled Dicionário de Ruas (Dictionary of Streets) that allows access to information on the names of public places in the capital of São Paulo.

The institution aims to contribute to the cultural, technical and administrative improvement of the Municipal Historical Archive and to foster among the population the values of the right to Memory and the guarantee of universal access to information.