Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) Requests

Before Filing a Request

Before filing a Right-to-Know request, consider these options:

Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)

PA-SHARE integrates all of PA SHPO’s cultural resources data into one GIS database, giving you a single source for information. To make matters easier, our user dashboards let you track applications, responses, and upload information directly.

SHPO has a research room and individuals can make appointments to review files and conduct a more targeted search. View information on the PA SHPO research room including file request procedures and hours. You may access these files without submitting a Right-to-Know Law request.

Pennsylvania State Archives

The Pennsylvania State Archives are accessible without a Right-to-Know Law request however, at the end of May, the State Archives began the long-awaited move to its new facility at 1681 North Sixth St., Harrisburg, Pa. In anticipation of the move, the Archives has closed the public search room and suspended all reference services.

The records and services typically provided in the search room will be unavailable until the Archives reopens at its new facility.

The new State Archives building is expected to open to the public in late October 2023.

Right-to-Know Procedures

To obtain access to PHMC records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), you can complete the standard Right-to-Know form (PDF), and submit it by emailing the PHMC Open Records Officer, or faxing it to 717-783-9924, or mailing it to the Agency Open Records Officer:

Cynthia Bendroth, Agency Open Records Officer
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
350 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0090

RTKL requests must be addressed to the PHMC's Open Records Officer.

The regular business hours of PHMC are 8:00 to 4:30, Monday through Friday. Any RTKL request received by the Agency Open Records Officer after the close of regular business hours shall be deemed to have been received by that office on the following business day.

While PHMC may fulfill verbal requests, the requestor cannot pursue the relief and remedies provided under the RTKL unless the request is in writing. RTKL requests are for public records, unless subject to an exemption from disclosure under the RTKL. In the event of an appeal to the Office of Open Records (OOR) from PHMC's denial of a RTKL request, the OOR may consider the request, the appeal and any other records to be public.

Pursuant to Section 504 of the RTKL, the agency abides by the PHMC Right-to-Know Law Policy, and complies with the policies set forth in Management Directive 205.36, Right-To-Know Law (PDF).