National Archives of the Netherlands: Institution Main

The National Archives of the Netherlands is the guardian of some of the most iconic documents from Dutch history, dating back more than 1,000 years. Every year, thousands of researchers, journalists, students, and citizens worldwide consult their extensive collection. Their 137 kilometres of documents, 15 million photographs, 300,000 maps and drawings, and almost 330 terabytes of digital scans and documents offer a variety of information. These include documents related to the central government of the Netherlands, the county of Holland, and the regional and provincial administrations of South Holland, as well as documents from private institutions and individuals.

“Archives contain possible answers for the future. Archives represent our democratic values. Archives must be accessible for everyone, everywhere. We work to bring together and secure the future of the record, both digital and physical, for future generations.”

The NAN supplies historical information to a worldwide public, and is responsible for sustainably managing and publicly presenting the archival collection.

Relevant collections at the National Archives of the Netherlands (NAN)

The NAN provides access to a large number of documents containing information about the historical relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. For over 200 years, the Dutch were the only Western nation allowed to trade with the Japanese. Important and unique materials related to this period are available for researchers globally, both online and in person at the NAN in The Hague. These include the archives of the Dutch East India Company, as well as more recent archival collections, such as those related to the Second World War. The database of the ‘Interneringskaarten’ contains important information about this specific period in history.