---
title: ToolRouter — Use Case
description: Step-by-step guide for a real-world ToolRouter use case with agent-specific instructions.
url: https://toolrouter.com/tools/web-archive/use-cases/view-historical-websites
---
# View Historical Websites

The internet is constantly changing -- websites get redesigned, pages get removed, and content gets updated without any record of what came before. The Wayback Machine captures snapshots of the web over time, creating a historical record of how sites looked at any given date.

ToolRouter's check_availability skill quickly tells you whether a URL has been archived and when, while search_captures finds all available snapshots for a given URL within a date range. Together, they let you navigate the web's history as easily as browsing the current web.

This is invaluable for researchers studying how websites have evolved, designers looking for inspiration from past iterations, journalists investigating changes to public statements, and anyone curious about what a website used to look like. The Wayback Machine has over 800 billion web pages archived -- almost any site you can think of has some history captured.

**Tool:** [Web Archive](https://toolrouter.com/tools/web-archive)
**Skills:** check_availability, search_captures

## Agent Guides

- [How to View Historical Websites with Claude](https://toolrouter.com/tools/web-archive/use-cases/view-historical-websites/claude): Guide for Claude
- [How to View Historical Websites with ChatGPT](https://toolrouter.com/tools/web-archive/use-cases/view-historical-websites/chatgpt): Guide for ChatGPT
- [How to View Historical Websites with Copilot](https://toolrouter.com/tools/web-archive/use-cases/view-historical-websites/copilot): Guide for Copilot
- [How to View Historical Websites with OpenClaw](https://toolrouter.com/tools/web-archive/use-cases/view-historical-websites/openclaw): Guide for OpenClaw
