The National Archives, part of BAnQ, are housed in the historic Gilles Hocquart Building—a striking complex that once served as the École des Hautes Études Commerciales. The archives centre is part of a network of 10 BAnQ archives centres dispersed throughout Quebec and features an auditorium, meeting space, and public reading rooms. Most eye-catching is the soaring atrium, which rises through four tiers of white balconies connected by an elegant spiral staircase, surrounded by stacks and work desks. It’s a fitting home for one of Quebec’s richest troves of historical and genealogical records, blending architectural grandeur with a welcoming space for research and discovery.