Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken

  • Leiden Regional Archive
  • ELO, Regionaal Archief Leiden, Gemeentearchief Leiden

Address

Boisotkade 2A
Leiden
2301 GC
Netherlands

Phone

(+31) (0)71-516 5355

History

The foundation of the Leiden Regional Archive was laid in 1847 when the city archives of Leiden were appointed. It would take another 100 years before there was a special municipal department that would take care of the monuments and lmost 150 years before the first municipal archaeologist was appointed. In 2013 the historical archives, the institution for historic preservation, the archeology institution were grouped together in Erfgoed Leiden.

Records Management and Collecting Policies

Governments are obliged to transfer their archives after 20 years to the Leiden Regional Archive. Moreover, according to the archival institution, private archives are also an important source of information about the history of a city and its surroundings. Private archives can be brought to the institution, usually there is an agreement of donation or loan determined to give the materials in the depots a legal status.

Archival and Other Holdings

The Leiden Regional Archive administers the archives of all municipalities in its jurisdiction: Leiden, Leiderdorp, Katwijk (only Rijnsburg) Teylingen (Sassenheim, Voorhout and Warmond), Hillegom, Noordwijk, the former hamlet De Vennip and Zoeterwoude. The instituion also manages the private archives of many agencies and organizations.

The Leiden Regional Archive administers many materials regarding the Second World War. These documents are of various kinds. For example, you can find counterfeit and illegal press, but also diaries, interviews with resistance fighters and more. All documents include both a description and a background story that tells the historical context of the document, provided by an expert.

Finding Aids, Guides, and Publication

Both the overview of the archives of the Leiden Regional Archive and the online search engine can be found here

Opening Times

The Leiden Regional Archive is open from 9.30am to 5pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Monday the Leiden Regional Archive is open from 1pm to 5pm, and the instution is closed on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

If you can help improve this information please contact us at feedback@ehri-project.eu.