Now located in Winston Salem, North Carolina, the Tattoo Archive was founded in Berkeley, California in 1980 by C. W. Eldridge. The Tattoo Archive is a working shop which does custom tattooing. It is also home to our Online Store selling tattoo collectibles from around the world, the BookMistress' tattoo books and the Paul Rogers Tattoo Research Center (PRTRC), a nonprofit corporation with the primary goal of preserving tattoo history.
The mission of the Tattoo Archive is to promote the history of tattooing through research and education. A wealth of information is available just for the asking, to the casual visitor and academic alike. Requests for access to materials and information available for research should be made in writing.
A real-time visit to the Archive in downtown Winston Salem is like a step back in time. 
The walls tell the story of tattoo history with images from bygone eras of tattooists and tattooed people, as well as tattoo history in the making; including illustrations from contemporary artists.
The Archive also hosts changing exhibits on tattoo history. The current exhibit is entitled, "Norman Rockwell's Tattoo Designs.
On our website you will learn more about tattooist and historian C.W. Eldridge, view Tattoo History From A-Z, visit our virtual Paul Rogers Tattoo Research Center, and shop at our Online Store with its large selection of tattoo-related memorabilia.
In the Contact Us section, we invite you to subscribe to the Archive's website to be notified of new products and upcoming events related to tattoo history.
Thanks for stopping by! We hope you'll enjoy our site and we invite you to come and visit us often.
