Het Utrechts Archief
- The Utrecht Archives
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History
The origin of the Utrecht Archives is located in a coffin with charters, which was preserved in the Middle Ages in one of the city gates. Later, Utrecht's mayor Booth was part of the council committee that was established in 1639 to give structure to the archives. In 1654 an archive commission under his guidance was put the task of managing the charters. A new charter cabinet was manufactured, where the charters neatly folded could be put in drawers.
The Utrecht Archives has opened a new public center in Utrecht city center on June 27, 2008, at the Hamburger Street 28. This will make it accessible to a bigger audience. This new location allows visitors to experience Utrecht's past via a multimedia exhibition.
Records Management and Collecting Policies
The Utrecht Archives prepares the transfer of archives management units of the central government and the Province of Utrecht. Moreover, in addition to a large collection of government archives the Utrecht Archives also stores material from private individuals.
Archival and Other Holdings
The Utrecht Archives store an extensive collection of archives relating to the Second World War. The materials range from war diaries to newspapers, videos from both the occupation and the liberation, maps, photos, and death certificates. For more information consult the Utrecht archives' thematic site relating to the Second World War.
Finding Aids, Guides, and Publication
The majority of the collection of the Utrecht Archives are described and fully searchable. Moreover, many of these materials can also be viewed online in the form of scans. A number of archives have been made accessible through indexes or special search options. For a listing of the index, search engines and systematic overviews consult the website.
Opening Times
The reading room is open on Tuesday (9.00-17.00), Wednesday (9.00-17.00) and Thursday (9.00-21.00). Reservations are only required to view original archive documents. There are 12 places available for viewing originals. These places are only available on reservation. There are 3 places available for non-scientific research on the computers and the reading devices. These workstations can be used without reservation (full is full).
Conditions of Access
Most of the archives and collections are public and can be consulted online or in the reading room. Sometimes there may be a restriction on public access. For example, if a document or archive contains privacy-sensitive information about people who are still alive. If you would like to view non-public archive documents, you can submit a request in advance by e-mail via inlichtingen@hetutrechtsarchief.nl, after which you will be sent a waiver form.
Accessibility
There is a limited number of parking spaces near the Archives of Utrecht. The reading room at 199 Alexander Numankade is largely accessible to visitors with disabilities. However, doing research via the reading room website and in the archives is not yet sufficiently accessible. Therefore, the staff is happy to help you during your visit. The toilet (for the disabled) is located immediately after entering the building on the right. It is also possible to visit with a guide or assistance dog. If you have any questions about your visit to the reading room, please email inlichtingen@hetutrechtsarchief.nl, call 030- 286 66 43 or ask your question via the chat.