Gelders Archief
Gelders Archief is a Dutch Regional Historical Center (one of eleven) that preserves and provides public access to over 38 kilometers of Gelderland's archival heritage through digital databases and a physical reading room, serving genealogists, academic researchers, government partners, and the general public under free public access.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersArnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Gelders Archief does
Gelders Archief is one of eleven Regional Historical Centers (Regionaal Historische Centra) in the Netherlands and serves as the designated archive institution for the province of Gelderland. Established as a 'gemeenschappelijke regeling' (collaborative arrangement) under the Wet Gemeenschappelijke Regelingen, the organization is jointly funded and governed by eleven partner governments including the national government (Rijk), Provincie Gelderland, six municipalities (Arnhem, Renkum, Rheden, Rozendaal, Overbetuwe), Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe, and three regional entities (VGGM, ODRA, MGR SDCG). Its mandate is the preservation of, and public access to, Gelderland's documentary heritage across government archives, court records, private collections, and audiovisual materials.
The organization's core product is its digital archive platform at geldersarchief.nl, which integrates several specialized databases: a Personendatabase with over 18 million genealogical records (civil registration, population registers, church books, Memories van Successie), a Beeldbank with 300,000+ images and films, a Bouwdossiers search system for construction dossiers, and a recently launched Digital CABR module for WWII collaboration investigation research (part of the national 'Oorlog voor de Rechter' project covering ~30 million pages). Supporting services include the Mijn Studiezaal personal research platform, a free 'Scans op verzoek' (scanning-on-demand) service, a physical reading room in Arnhem open two days per week, and loan services for institutions. The organization holds ANBI (Public Benefit Organization) status and operates under internal archival management systems (MAIS-(M)DWS).
The business model is non-commercial. All public-facing services are free, and revenue consists entirely of pooled government contributions from partner authorities plus modest ANBI-eligible donations. There is no pricing model for consumers, no commercial ARR, and no venture or private equity involvement. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the website, social media channels, newsletter distribution (4-5 times yearly via Mailchimp), educational events, and partner engagement activities. The organization employs approximately 50-64 staff (CAO SGO), led by Director Petra Links, with managers covering Service & Organization and ICT/Data/Collection Management functions, and a six-member board representing the founding partners.
Gelders Archief firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gelders Archief
- Legal name
- Gelders Archief
- Website
- https://geldersarchief.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Gelders Archief is a Dutch Regional Historical Center (one of eleven) that preserves and provides public access to over 38 kilometers of Gelderland's archival heritage through digital databases and a physical reading room, serving genealogists, academic researchers, government partners, and the general public under free public access.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gelders Archief industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Archive and Heritage Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)
Keywords
Where Gelders Archief is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arnhem, Gelderland
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gelders Archief business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Funding: As a 'gemeenschappelijke regeling' (joint arrangement) under the Wet Gemeenschappelijke Regelingen (WGR), Gelders Archief is funded by contributions from its partner governments: Rijk (national government), provincie Gelderland, and municipalities Arnhem, Renkum, Rheden, Rozendaal, Overbetuwe, plus Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe, VGGM, ODRA, and MGR SDCG.
- ANBI Donations: As an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling - Public Benefit Organization), Gelders Archief can receive tax-deductible donations. The organization is also a 'culturele ANBI' allowing donors to claim extra gift deductions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free public access to digital archives and reading room |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gelders Archief product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gelders Archief preserves and provides public access to the documentary heritage of the province of Gelderland through digital searchable databases (person records, photographs and films, construction dossiers, and archived collections) and a physical reading room. It manages more than 38 kilometers of archival material, over 18 million genealogical records, and over 300,000 images, supplemented by free scanning on demand, a personal research platform (Mijn Studiezaal), a digital depot, and a digital access point for the WWII CABR collection.
Product overview
Gelders Archief operates as a unified archive institution providing both digital and physical access to historical collections. The core offering consists of the website search portal (https://www.geldersarchief.nl) which integrates specialized databases including the Personendatabase for genealogy (18+ million records), the Beeldbank for images (300,000+ items), and Bouwdossiers for construction records. The recent Digitale CABR launch provides digital access to WWII collaboration investigation dossiers. Supporting services include the Mijn Studiezaal personal research platform, Scans op verzoek for on-demand digitization, physical Studiezaal access, and Bruiklenen (loan services). The organization manages over 38 kilometers of archival material spanning government archives, court records, private collections, and audiovisual materials from the province of Gelderland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Personendatabase (Personen zoeken) Searchable genealogical database containing civil registration certificates (birth, marriage, death), population registers, church books (baptisms, marriages, burials), and Memories van Successie from the province of Gelderland, with over 18 million genealogical records searchable by personal name. Used by family historians and amateur genealogists.
- Beeldbank (Foto's en films) Digital image bank containing over 300,000 digitized photographs, drawings, prints, maps, posters, postcards, and seals, plus audiovisual materials, browsable by material type and publishable online. Used by researchers, educators, and the general public.
- Bouwdossiers Search system for construction dossiers containing building permits, architectural drawings, and related documentation for municipalities in Gelderland including Arnhem, Rheden, Rozendaal, Overbetuwe, and Renkum. Used by construction firms, property owners, architectural historians, and municipal building inspectors.
- Digitale CABR Digital access to the Centraal Archief Bijzondere Rechtspleging (CABR), containing dossiers of persons investigated for collaboration with the German occupier after WWII. Accessible via secured computers in the reading room using a reservation system. Used by historical, WWII, and legal-history researchers with approved research proposals.
- Mijn Studiezaal Personal research environment platform allowing users to organize and conduct historical research, with features for note-taking, requesting archive items from archieven.nl and partner archive-service websites, asking questions, and creating private or publicly visible research posts. Used by individual researchers and family historians.
- Scans op verzoek (Scanning on Demand) Free service allowing users to request scans of archive materials that have not yet been digitized. Scans are delivered via email with download links, typically within three weeks of request. Used by researchers and members of the public.
- Studiezaal (Reading Room) Physical reading room at Westervoortsedijk 67-D in Arnhem where researchers can access original documents. Open Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 to 17:00, requires advance reservation and valid identification. Used by researchers in genealogy, history, and legal history.
- Bruiklenen (Loans) Loan service allowing institutions and organizations to borrow items from the collection for exhibitions or educational purposes. Used by museums, cultural institutions, and educational organizations.
- Informatie voor overheden Information services for government organizations covering archive management, information compliance, supervision, and policy advice, including Nieuws Advies en Toezicht. Used by the national government, Provincie Gelderland, municipalities, and water boards.
- Digitaal depot Digital depot service for secure long-term storage and preservation of digital archival materials from partner government organizations. Used by government partners for digital records preservation.
Companies that use Gelders Archief
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Gelders Archief technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability1 record
Feature3 records
Gelders Archief partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Nationaal ArchiefcorePartnership for digital CABR access. Since February 2026, Gelders Archief reading room offers access to digitized Centraal Archief Bijzondere Rechtspleging, coordinated with Nationaal Archief's Oorlog voor de Rechter project.
- NIOD (Instituut voor Oorlogs-, Holocaust- en Genocidestudies)corePartnership for digital CABR access. Since February 2026, expanded digital CABR access to regional historical centers alongside NIOD.
- Rijk (National Government)coreNational government partnership under Wet Gemeenschappelijke Regelingen. Contributes to funding and governance through representation on the board.
- Provincie GelderlandcoreProvincial government of Gelderland partnership. Contributes to funding and governance as part of the shared governance structure.
- Gemeente ArnhemcorePrimary municipal partner and host location. Contributes two board members (Maurits van de Geijn, Bob Roelofs) to governance.
- Gemeenten Renkum, Rheden, RozendaalcoreMunicipal partners contributing to shared governance. Dorus Klomberg represents these municipalities on the board.
- Gemeente OverbetuwecoreMunicipal partner in the shared arrangement for archive services.
- Waterschap Vallei en VeluwecoreWater board partner contributing to and utilizing archive services.
- VGGM (Veiligheids- en Gezondheidsregio Gelderland Midden)minorSafety and health region partner in the shared arrangement.
- ODRA (Omgevingsdienst Regio Arnhem)minorEnvironmental services regional partnership.
- MGR SDCG (Modulaire Gemeenschappelijke Regeling Sociaal Domein Centraal Gelderland)minorSocial domain regional partnership.
- NGV (Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging - Kwartier van Nijmegen)minorPartnership for genealogy education. NGV organizes 6-lesson genealogy course 'Zoeken naar voorouders' at Gelders Archief premises in fall 2026.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gelders Archief competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Regionaal Archief Tilburg: Regional archive for Midden-Brabant, part of the 11 RHC network. Direct peer sharing the same institutional model, funding structure, and service portfolio (genealogy, image bank, government archives, reading room).
- Stadsarchief Rotterdam: Rotterdam City Archives is one of the 11 RHCs serving the Rijnmond region. Direct peer with same institutional structure, comparable digital archive infrastructure, and overlapping use cases (genealogy, construction dossiers, image collections).
- Stadsarchief Amsterdam: Amsterdam City Archives is one of the 11 Dutch Regional Historical Centers (RHCs) and the largest municipal archive in the Netherlands. Direct peer to Gelders Archief: identical RHC mandate, Rijk/province/municipality funding structure, ANBI status, and overlapping services (genealogy, image bank, WWII archives, reading room).
- Het Utrechts Archief: Het Utrechts Archief is the RHC for the province of Utrecht and operates under the same WGR collaborative arrangement with comparable services (genealogy, construction dossiers, image bank, reading room). Direct peer with identical operating model and customer profile.
- Noord-Hollands Archief: Regional archive for North Holland under the same RHC framework. Direct peer sharing the gemeenschappelijke regeling structure, ANBI status, and genealogical / historical / government archive service offerings as Gelders Archief.
- Regionaal Archief Dordrecht: Regional archive for the Dordrecht region, one of the 11 RHCs. Direct peer with identical operating model, service offerings, and public-sector governance structure as Gelders Archief.
- Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken: Regional historical center for Leiden and surrounding area, organized as one of the 11 RHCs. Direct peer operating with the same mandate, funding structure, and genealogy/construction/archive service mix as Gelders Archief.
- Historisch Centrum Overijssel: Regional historical center for the province of Overijssel, one of the 11 RHCs. Direct peer with comparable mandate, scale, and service offerings (genealogy, WWII research, construction dossiers, reading room).
- Zeeuws Archief: Regional archive for the province of Zeeland, part of the 11 RHC network. Direct peer operating with the same WGR-based model, ANBI status, and mix of genealogy, image, and government archive services.
Broad incumbents
- Nationaal Archief: National archive of the Netherlands, central government archival authority. Broader incumbent operating at the national level — comparable in archive function but with a wider scope (national rather than regional). Direct partner of Gelders Archief on the CABR digitization project.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gelders Archief social profiles
Digital presenceGelders Archief compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Gelders Archief financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gelders Archief leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Gelders Archief funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gelders Archief M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gelders Archief
What does Gelders Archief do?
Gelders Archief preserves and provides public access to the documentary heritage of the province of Gelderland through digital searchable databases (person records, photographs and films, construction dossiers, and archived collections) and a physical reading room. It manages more than 38 kilometers of archival material, over 18 million genealogical records, and over 300,000 images, supplemented by free scanning on demand, a personal research platform (Mijn Studiezaal), a digital depot, and a digital access point for the WWII CABR collection.
Is Gelders Archief a public or private company?
Gelders Archief is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Gelders Archief founded?
Gelders Archief was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Gelders Archief based?
Gelders Archief is headquartered in Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Gelders Archief make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are ANBI Donations.
Who are Gelders Archief's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Regionaal Archief Tilburg, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, Stadsarchief Amsterdam, Het Utrechts Archief, Noord-Hollands Archief, Regionaal Archief Dordrecht, Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken, Historisch Centrum Overijssel and Zeeuws Archief. Nationaal Archief is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Gelders Archief have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gelders Archief.
What industry is Gelders Archief in?
Gelders Archief's product category is Public Archive and Heritage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAJ, Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation), with a secondary code of BPAGAHAF, Libraries, Archives & Special Collections. Its NAICS code is 51921.