The memory of Utrecht
NorthernLight was invited to design the visitor centre for the Utrecht Archives. With dozens of kilometres of archives, half a million photographs, films and pictures, and an extensive library, the Utrecht Archives bring the memory of the city and the province Utrecht to life. The archives form the source of Utrecht’s history, and are available for the public to see. The visitor centre is designed as a refreshing and stimulating space that allows for a broad audience to become acquainted with the treasures of the archives, the city and the province Utrecht.
Digging for treasures
The visitor is introduced to the Utrecht Archives through the personal stories of historical people from Utrecht. With a virtual guide, visitors get to know many personal stories that they can add to their own personal dossier. With our design, we tried to challenge the image of a dusty archive. Instead, we designed a multimedia visitor centre where everyone can enjoy digging into the treasures and memories of their everyday world.
History brought to life
The Utrecht Archives are located in a historical building, a former court, built on the remains of the old Paulus Abbey. On the ground floor, in the space that used to be the refectory, the auditorium is situated and the history of the building is explained. A spectacular multi-screen projection and a light show tell the story of the Paulus Abbey. The court history of the building is told in four of its cells. In “Utrecht Moment’s” treasury room, historical figures have been brought to life with the aid of virtual manipulation. In addition, a glass showcase is filled with original documents from the archives that are related to these historical figures.
kilometres of archives
million digital files
years of historical architecture
Share this page