Unique archival documents reflecting the earliest history of Sweden’s cultural heritage preservation are being made available in digital form. The ongoing project is run by the National Library, the Swedish National Heritage Board, and the National Archives, with funding from the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities

The research project focuses on the earliest records of the Swedish National Heritage Board and the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities External link. – from around 1630, when antiquarian Johannes Bureus laid the foundations of today’s cultural heritage preservation, up to the turn of the twentieth century. The Academy, the National Heritage Board, the National Archives, and the National Library share a long and intertwined history, which you can read more about on the National Heritage Board’s website External link..

Today, the material is held by the three authorities, which jointly run the current project. It was launched in 2024 under the auspices of the Swedish National Heritage Board and the National Library of Sweden. From autumn 2026, the National Archives will also be a project partner.

The collections are in great demand but are also fragile and difficult to access. Digitisation is therefore essential – both to ensure their long-term preservation and to improve accessibility. By also conducting research on the material, the project aims to increase its visibility and highlight its scholarly potential.

With the help of advanced AI technology, we can also more easily interpret the older manuscripts.

Research in several subject areas

The research potential of the material is vast, as cultural heritage preservation during this period spanned multiple disciplines. Examples of fields include the history of archaeology, cultural heritage history, runology, numismatics, ethnology/folklore studies, linguistics, emblem studies, and heraldry. It also intersected with areas such as political science, political and economic history, religious history, and the use of history.

This diversity provides extensive opportunities for research on the collections. The material also reflects the development of the Swedish National Heritage Board and the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters during a time when the number of learned societies increased, and the Swedish state apparatus expanded.

The Swedish National Heritage Board was established in the early 1600s, and in the 1780s, the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters assumed responsibility for cultural heritage preservation. This makes the institution and its archival records unique, as several other countries followed a similar path only centuries later.

Project with broad expertise

The project includes image technicians and archivists who are responsible for the digitisation process, a research team of three researchers who carry out a number of smaller research activities on an ongoing basis, and paper conservators who take care of fragile and damaged records.