The Hague City Archives

The Hague City Archives (Haags Gemeentearchief) manages an enormous range of historic documents, photographs, prints, maps, films and books about The Hague. The collection starts from the beginning of the 14th century.

The Hague City Archives is the documentation and information centre for the history of The Hague and its people. In addition, the archives work together with the municipal archives of Leidschendam-Voorburg and the Netherlands Music Institute.

For everybody

The archives maintain nearly 20 kilometres of historical materials. They are stored in strong rooms and they are available to anyone with an interest in the city’s past. The archives hold approximately 4,500 documents on people, companies, families, foundations, organisations and clubs. Not only on the history of The Hague, but also on Voorburg, Leidschendam, Loosduinen, Stompwijk and Veur.

The Begin external link: Netherlands Music Institute(External link), end external link. is the national repository for music resource materials. It includes a collection of music manuscripts dating from 1500 to the present day.

Family histories

Do you want to use historical documents to conduct reserach into your family history (genealogical research)? Or do you want to research the city through the centuries? If so, you can do a search online on the Begin external link: website of the Haags Gemeentearchief(External link), end external link..

You can also visit the reading room (studiezaal) in the Atrium of The Hague City Hall. Professional staff of the City Archives can help you. You can look at the original materials as well as digital collections and microfiches.

• Begin external link: Address, opening hours and rules for the reading room(External link), end external link. (in Dutch)
• Begin external link: Opening hours for Netherlands Music Institute (NMI)(External link), end external link.

Exhibitions, lectures and events

The Hague City Archives also shares stories about the history of the city and its people in other ways:

• exhibitions in Begin external link: De Galerij(External link), end external link.. This gallery is located in the tram tunnel of the Spui station and in the Atrium of City Hall
• Begin external link: lectures(External link), end external link. and Begin external link: tours(External link), end external link.
• different activities in Begin external link: Historical Information Points(External link), end external link. (HIPs), such as workshops and exhibitions

Donate archive materials

Each year The Hague City Archives receives many donations of historical documents. Old photos, letters, family papers and company archives, often kept in the family for generations, become part of the city’s collection.

Would you also like to dontae documents or collections to The Hague City Archives? Read how to do this on the Begin external link: website of the Haags Gemeentearchief(External link), end external link..