NARA Catalog MCP Server

by iandersoio.github.ianderso/nara-catalog-mcpv1.1.0

Genealogical research in the US National Archives Catalog: records, transcriptions, page images.

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Active3d ago

Install NARA Catalog MCP server

claude mcp add nara-catalog -e NARA_API_KEY='<nara-api-key>' -- uvx nara-catalog-mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nara-catalog": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "nara-catalog-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NARA_API_KEY": "<nara-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (project).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nara-catalog": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "nara-catalog-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NARA_API_KEY": "<nara-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Settings → Developer → Edit Config (claude_desktop_config.json), then restart.

{
  "servers": {
    "nara-catalog": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "nara-catalog-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NARA_API_KEY": "<nara-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nara-catalog": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "nara-catalog-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NARA_API_KEY": "<nara-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.

Configuration

Variable	Required	Secret	Description
NARA_API_KEY	yes	yes	Catalog API key, requested from the National Archives Catalog API team.
NARA_CACHE_DIR	—	—	Directory for the on-disk response cache.
NARA_TIMEOUT	—	—	HTTP timeout in seconds.
NARA_MONTHLY_CALL_BUDGET	—	—	Calls per month the key allows, reported by api_budget.

Freshness

Active — last maintenance signal 3d ago. The newest of the signals below sets the band.

Last commit (default branch)
2026-10-06 · 3d ago · GitHub
Latest release
2026-10-06 · 4d ago · GitHub · v1.1.0
Package published
no data · npm/PyPI
Registry entry updated
2026-10-06 · 4d ago · official registry · v1.1.0

FAQ

›How do I install the NARA Catalog MCP server in Claude Code?

Run: claude mcp add nara-catalog -e NARA_API_KEY='<nara-api-key>' -- uvx nara-catalog-mcp. For Cursor, VS Code, Claude Desktop and Windsurf, use the install tabs above.

›Does NARA Catalog require an API key?

Yes. It expects NARA_API_KEY, of which 1 is a secret.

›Can I use NARA Catalog as a remote (hosted) MCP server?

No hosted endpoint is published; it runs locally over stdio.

›Is NARA Catalog in the official MCP registry?

Yes, as io.github.ianderso/nara-catalog-mcp.