A deep study of the evolution laws of archive governance systems can help facilitate innovative governance systems and advance the modernization of archive governance capabilities and governance capacity. The inherent tension of institutional change theory can better meet the need to explain the evolution of archive governance systems. Based on the theory of institutional change,Chinese archive governance system after the founding of the People's Republic of China is divided into the monolithic control stage,the diversified management stage,and the collaborative governance stage. This paper analyzes the internal logic of the evolution of archive governance systems from two aspects:the characteristics of change and the driving forces of change. On this basis,we explore the practical path to improve the archive governance system,which is to promote the collaboration of multiple subjects,consolidate the joint forces of institutional change,break through the shackles of 'Path dependence',explore opportunities for institutional change,correctly grasp the direction of institutional change,and ultimately achieve good governance in archive management.