Stadsarchief Rotterdam, Municipal archive in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The Stadsarchief Rotterdam is a municipal archive that preserves an extensive collection of materials documenting the city's growth and transformation. The holdings include photographs, maps, and written records spanning centuries that offer detailed insights into urban development and daily life.
The archive was established to collect and preserve the city's official records and make them available to the public. The collection expanded significantly after the 1940 bombing, when the city began documenting its reconstruction and preserving accounts of its transformation.
The archive reveals how maritime commerce shaped the city's identity and character through the centuries. You can see this heritage reflected in the documents and photographs that show how the port defined daily life and urban growth.
The archive is located in central Rotterdam with online catalogs available for preliminary research before your visit. Reading rooms with trained staff are available to help you examine documents and photographs in person.
The collection includes historical street signs and recorded voices that capture everyday moments from different periods in the city's past. These audiovisual materials let you experience the city's history not just through written documents but also through sights and sounds.
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