30,000 titles, correspondence by former museum managers, field diaries and old photographs – the library and archive of the Museum of World Culture have amassed a wealth of knowledge over the years.
Researchers, students and other interested parties are allowed access to the museum library and archive. In spring 2009, the library was relocated to Ebbe Lieberathsgatan where the museum collections and archive - including among others an abundance of correspondence, diaries, field notes and photo archives - are now kept. The library has reading rooms but home loans are not possible. The library is open during normal office hours.
The Museum of World Culture has a book stock of over 30,000 titles in addition to around 900 journals and annual publications. The book stock has gradually been built up by way of donations and acquisitions from private book collections such as the unique collections of Erland Nordenskiöld, Gösta Sandberg and Walter Kaudern. The library book stock is still growing through exchanges with other museums, universities and institutions as well as through gifts and acquisitions.
This vast number of book titles, 75 % of which are related to the cultural history of South America, is a manifestation of the collections at the Museum of World Culture.
Most of the books relate to subject areas such as ethnography, social and cultural anthropology, history and sociology. A less significant number include travel books, biographies, bibliographies, manuals and dictionaries. However, most of the books found in the museum library cover the regions of South and Central America and Indonesia - a manifestation of the museum's past areas of interest and the contents of its collections.
Furthermore, the library houses a collection of books printed in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, most of which belong to the collections of Erland Nordenskiöld and Gösta Sandberg.
The museum archive also contains field diaries, manuscripts and photographs from the various explorations in which the museum has participated. There are also materials from former exhibitions and film clip archives. Another very interesting item found in the archive is the written correspondence. The museum has retained all of its written correspondence from 1910 to date, which allows for the study of anthropology and archaeology since the beginning of the 20th century.
Read more about research and educational visits here.
Researchers, students and other interested parties are allowed access to the museum library. In spring 2009, the library was relocated to Ebbe Lieberathsgatan where museum collections and archive can now be found. The library has reading rooms but home loans are not possible.
Postal address: Världskulturmuseets föremålsarkiv
Ebbe Lieberathsgatan 18 B
Bus stop: Varbergsgatan, Routes 2 and 4
E-mail: collections@varldskulturmuseerna.se
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The Museum of World Culture archives contain field journals, manuscripts and photographs from various explorations in which the museum and it's predecessors have participated. There is correspondence, materials from previous exhibitions as well as a cuttings archive. It is possible to study and follow the history of anthropology and archaeology since the beginning of the 20th century in the archive.
The archives are open for visits by appointment, Monday - Friday 9 am - 4 pm. Please contact Monica Sargren.