Cultural heritage international

Culture in all its aspects is at the heart of KIT's activities: by promoting expressions of culture through theatre and music and by preserving cultural heritage through its collections and by helping other countries to strengthen their capacity to preserve and promote their own cultures.  

KIT Tropenmuseum supports the cultural heritage sector through capacity building work in the field of preservation, conservation and management of collections of museums in developing countries.

KIT ILS is involved in library processes, including digitization. Through its capacity building work, ILS aims to support the preservation, conservation and presentation of historical documents and heritage collections in developing countries.

Dutch colonial historical maps

This website gives access to a searchable database of historical maps of the former Dutch colonies.

Colonial heritage website

Gives access to searchable database of a selection of digitized books and journals that are part of the colonial heritage collection.

KIT projects in the spotlight

 Three projects are highlighted here. For a list of all KIT projects in the field of cultural heritage and culture, go to the bottom of this page.

Preservation and digitization of academic resources and heritage material, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

Museological cooperation with museums of DKI Jakarta, Indonesia

The Kapuas Raya Museum, Sintang, Kalimantan, Indonesia

Preservation and digitization of academic resources and heritage material, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

During an exploratory mission to the University of Ghana (UG) in September 2008 it was found that the Balme library of the UG housed a very valuable collection of heritage material, called 'the rare books collection' as it is known at the UG. This collection of Ghana's colonial history past (15th-20th century) is stored in the university library. In March 2009, ILS carried out a mission to the UG. A major objective of the mission was to make an inventory of the heritage material, assess the status of the collection and to suggest concrete actions for the preservation and conservation of the material. Training was given and a start was made with the actual preservation and conservation of 'the rare books collection'.

Museological cooperation with museums of DKI Jakarta (DKI II, Indonesia

DKI II is a continuation of the 2nd phase of cooperation with the 10 museums of the DKI Jakarta aimed at long term museological cooperation and capacity building in the field of exhibition management and active conservation techniques and policies for the Conservation Laboratory of DKI Jakarta. In the present DKI II project KIT works with the Office of Culture and Museum Affairs of the DKI Jakarta, which covers both the 10 museums of the DKI Jakarta as well as tthe Balai Konservasi (the Conservation Laboratory) and the City of Rotterdam. In 2009, project activities focused on exhibition management training. Six participants have been trained and they have develop a new exhibition concept which was discussed and worked upon by the different departments of the Tropenmuseum.

The Kapuas Raya Museum, Sintang, Kalimantan, Indonesia

On 11 October 2008, the Kapuas Raya Museum opened in Sintang, Kalimantan, Indonesia. Since 2005, the Tropenmuseum has been closely involved in the realization of this cultural centre, which consists of a museum and a library. It was set up to promote positive cultural interaction between the different population groups in the district: the Dayak, Malayu and Chinese. The Tropenmuseum has provided training in museum organization, education, and the conceptual development and technical implementation of exhibitions.

     'The new museum was intended to be a place where the three local   population groups could learn about each other's culture. Together with the museum staff and the local people, we selected the themes for the exhibitions, purchased the collection and put the exhibitions together. It was very special to see how visitor's from the different groups were able to observe that each culture gives meaning to major life events like birth, marriage and death in a similar way.'

Itie van Hout, senior curator textiles, KIT Tropenmuseum