[citation needed] The Moscow State Institute for History and Archives, founded in 1930 as a center for the preparation of archivists, became over the years a focus of scientific research.

In its archival pursuits in areas of history and such auxiliary realms as the study of primary sources, archaeology and palaeography, it managed to preserve Russian research.

Alexander Borisovich Bezborodov, Rector of the university, was suspended by the European University Association (EUA) following support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Union of Rectors (RUR) in March 2022, for being "diametrically opposed to the European values that they committed to when joining EUA”.

[6] The main campus of the university is located near the Novoslobodskaya Metro Station in the North-Western part of Moscow.

The institute occupies a network of historic buildings along the Nikolskaya Street, including the former Moscow Print Yard and the cells of the Zaikonospassky Monastery.

[citation needed] In 2014, the Expert RA agency included the university in the list of higher educational institutions of the Commonwealth of Independent States, where it was assigned a rating class of “D” (acceptable level of graduate training).