Historisch Centrum Limburg archives

With kilometres of historical archives and collections, and tens of thousands of photos, films, drawings and prints in its image bank, the Historisch Centrum Limburg archives (HCL) is the centre for the regional history of (southern) Limburg. The HCL collects, manages and makes available archives and collections of Limburg institutions and private individuals.

HCL was formed from the former State Archives in the province of Limburg, the former Maastricht Municipal Archives and the regional archive of the Heerlen region (formerly Rijckheyt). The organisation is led administratively by the municipalities of Heerlen and Maastricht and the central government.

The HCL has two locations: one in Heerlen and one in Maastricht. The Maastricht location is housed in the Old Friar Minors' Monastery on Sint Pieterstraat. That complex has been used as an archive since 1881. The Heerlen site has also been in a former church building, the Christus Koningkerk in the Vrieheide district, since 2023. That church has undergone thorough renovation in recent years. Both locations are equipped with a reading room.

In Maastricht, there is room for some 30 kilometres of archive material and in Heerlen for some 15 kilometres. This space is much needed, because there is quite a lot to preserve. In the first place, HCL keeps archives of various government bodies in (South) Limburg. In addition, the HCL houses important private archives of churches, associations, foundations, companies, castles, families and individuals. There are also extensive collections of manuscripts, almanacs, photos, maps, drawings, posters, prayer cards and letterheads.

From Tuesday to Thursday between 10:00 and 17:00, visitors are welcome to consult the HCL's archives and collections or admire the building. More information on how to plan a visit can be found on the website.