LOS ANGELES — The Ararat-Eskijian Museum and Research Center (AEMRC), in collaboration with the Armenian Genocide Research Program (AGRP) of the Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA and the Armenian Film Foundation, is pleased to announce the official launch of the Vahakn N. Dadrian Digital Archive on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum in Mission Hills, California, with online participation via Zoom.
Professor Vahakn N. Dadrian (1926–2019) was a pioneering scholar of the Armenian Genocide and played an instrumental role in establishing the broader field of genocide studies. Throughout his distinguished career, he devoted decades to uncovering and documenting the history of the Armenian Genocide, conducting research in archives across the world. He assembled an exceptional collection of historical evidence from Ottoman, German, British, French, American, Armenian, and other sources. His archive includes official documents, correspondence, newspapers, unpublished manuscripts, research notes, and other materials of immense scholarly value.
For the first time, this extraordinary collection will be freely accessible worldwide through a pioneering AI-powered digital platform. Going far beyond conventional digitization, the platform transforms the archive into an interactive research resource, opening new possibilities for historical investigation.
At the heart of this innovation is “Ask Dadrian,” an AI-powered feature that allows researchers to ask questions directly of the archive in natural language, as though consulting Professor Dadrian himself. Users can explore historical questions, locate relevant documents, and discover connections across thousands of pages through an interactive dialogue with the collection.
The digital archive represents a breakthrough in the preservation and accessibility of this historical collection. Comprising more than 100,000 pages organized in hundreds of folders and over 660 gigabytes of digitized material, it is the result of sixteen years of dedicated work. Transported from upstate New York to Los Angeles over ten cross-country trips, the collection underwent an extensive process of preservation, organization, scanning, and digitization.
The initiative began in 2009 under the leadership of the Ararat-Eskijian Museum and Research Center, following Professor Dadrian’s decision to entrust his personal archives to the Museum. Recognizing the historical importance of the collection, Museum Chairman Martin Eskijian initiated the preservation effort, with Museum Director Maggie Mangasarian Goschin overseeing the long and demanding process of transporting, organizing, and digitizing the materials.
The project subsequently developed into a major collaborative undertaking involving the Armenian Genocide Research Program at UCLA, with the dedicated efforts of scholars, technical specialists, volunteers, and partner institutions, as well as the generous support of donors and patrons. The digitization process was completed in December 2025, followed by the development of the online platform that will now make the collection accessible worldwide.
The launch program will feature remarks by Museum Director Maggie Mangasarian Goschin, Carina Goschin, and Professor Taner Akçam, Director of the Armenian Genocide Research Program, all in person, alongside Dr. Anna Alexanyan, joining by Zoom, and a recorded address by Dr. Hayg Demoyan. Garegin Chookaszian, joining by Zoom from Germany, will offer a 12-minute guided tour of the website, navigating its main features for the audience. The program will also include a 12-minute film, prepared by Dr. Carla Garabedian, celebrating the many people who contributed to the project, and a three-minute video of Dr. Wolf Gruner’s recorded remarks on the USC library. Dr. Garabedian will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
The launch marks a new chapter in Armenian Genocide research, ensuring that Professor Dadrian’s scholarly legacy remains accessible to future generations and that his invaluable collection can support historical research around the world.
The public is warmly invited to join us on November 15, in person or online, to celebrate this landmark achievement.
Event Information
Date: Sunday, November 15, 2026; Time: 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Ararat-Eskijian Museum / Sheen Chapel
15105 Mission Hills Road
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Organizers:
Ararat-Eskijian Museum and Research Center
Armenian Genocide Research Program, Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA
Armenian Film Foundation
For additional information:
Ararat-Eskijian Museum and Research Center
Phone: 747-500-7585
Nanor Hartounian
Armenian Genocide Research Program, UCLA
Email: [email protected]
Zoom registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mwzDZikRQDOr2gzJmj6kNA
