New Netherland Research Center

In November 2010, the New Netherland Research Center at the New York State Library opened to the public. At the NNRC, students, educators, scholars and researchers can access translations of early Dutch colonial manuscripts and a vast collection of works that tell the fascinating story of the Dutch global reach during the American colonial period and its lasting impact on today's world.

In 1974, the New Netherland Project began to translate and transcribe the 12,000 pages of Dutch-language administrative records from the archives of New Netherland, now in the collections of the New York State Archives and Albany County Hall of Records. The New Netherland Research Center continues this work.

Visiting the NNRC
The NNRC is on the 7th floor of the New York State Library in the Cultural Education Center at 222 Madison Ave in Albany, NY. In addition to research materials, the NNRC displays important documents in reproduction, such as the Schagen letter describing the Dutch "purchase" of Manhattan and the deed for Rensselaerswijck. Several prints by artist Len Tantillo depict scenes from New Netherland. The New York State Museum periodically exhibits New Netherland artifacts at the NNRC. For a listing of the books in the NNRC, visit the New York State Library catalog, then click on Power Search and select NETHERLAND from the "location:" drop-down menu, then hit the search button. You can also browse or search the collection in this Zotero Report PDF of the NNRC Collection. Or you can download a listing of the collection in this Excel spreadsheet. To search the collection, click "Allow Editing". Click "Home". On the far right, click on "Find and Select". Enter your search words. The collection does not circulate and must be used in the NNRC.

New Netherland Resources at the Cultural Education Center, Albany NY

Within the vast collections in the State Archives, State Library, and State Museum under the stewardship of New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education Deputy Commissioner, Mark Schaming, OCE is the nation's largest repository of documents, artifacts and special collections that document New Netherland. The State Archives, State Library, and State Museum comprise the Office of Cultural Education and are located in the Cultural Education Center, Albany NY. The Archives holds the official records of New Netherland, the world's largest collection of original documents related to the West India Company and its New World colonies, the source material for the New Netherland Project translations. The Museum's extensive Dutch-era collections include artifacts from the upper Hudson Valley and New Amsterdam.These research and collecting institutions are responsible for increasing the knowledge about the human and natural history of New York State through exhibitions, programs, and access to collections for research. The OCE provides research, educational and information resources to the public, researchers, educators across the State and beyond.

Status of the New Netherland Research Center Translation Project

NYSL Collections Related to the Dutch Colonial Period
Search the NYSL Catalog

New Netherland Project Collections
Over three decades, the Project accumulated articles, monographs and other published and unpublished materials related to the Dutch in the New World and the 17th century in general. These materials have been cataloged in a Citations Database and researchers can now access them at the NNRC. Search the Citations Database to see what's available.

The Schiltkamp Collection
In 2011, Jacob Adriaan Schiltkamp's wife and children donated his holdings of 600 books and rare print materials relating to the 17th-century Caribbean and the Dutch in the Atlantic World to the New York State Library. The collection includes the original records from Petrus Stuyvesant's tenure as director of Curaçao. Many of the books are available at the NNRC. Rare books and historic documents can be accessed in the Rare Book Room of the Library.

 

 

About the New Netherland Institute

For over three decades, NNI has helped cast light on America's Dutch roots. In 2010, it partnered with the New York State Office of Cultural Education to establish the New Netherland Research Center, with matching funds from the State of the Netherlands. NNI is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. More

The New Netherland Research Center

Housed in the New York State Library, the NNRC offers students, educators, scholars and researchers a vast collection of early documents and reference works on America's Dutch era. More

 

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By supporting NNI you help increase awareness of the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland and its legacy in America.