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Research

What do you want to find out?

A name, a family history, an event, a place or a subject can be the start of research. Museum Maluku helps you find your way to sources, collection and context.

Start your research I already have a specific research question

Recognise your question

Where does your research begin?

Find your situation below. Each entry point shows what a sharper version of that question looks like and where you can begin.

  1. I'm looking for someone or a family history

    Names appear in photographs, documents and personal archives. What's available varies greatly by person and period.

    • What sources are there about [name], who lived in [residential camp] around [period]?
    • Are there photographs or documents about this family or the environment they lived in?
    Search the name in the Online Collection

  2. I'm researching a period or event

    Verhalen van mensen, gemeenschappen en generaties, door verschillende tijden en plaatsen heen.

    • How did daily life in [residential camp] develop between [year] and [year]?
    • What photographs, documents or stories are available about this?
    View the sub-collections

  3. I'm looking for information about a place or community

    An island, a village, a residential camp, a neighbourhood or a community in the Netherlands.

    • What is known about the Moluccan community in [place]?
    • What image material is there of [residential camp] or [neighbourhood]?
    Search by place name

  4. I'm researching a theme

    Music, language, faith, clothing, sport, organisations, activism, material culture.

    • What sources are available about [organisation] and its activities in [place] during [period]?
    • What is in the collection about [theme] and how was it collected?
    Read stories around themes

  5. I'm working on a book, film or publication

    Besides sources, you usually also need images and permission.

    • What background is there on [subject] for the period [year] to [year]?
    • Is a high-resolution file available for collection item [number]?
    View image use and rights

  6. I'm conducting professional or academic research

    For research that goes beyond what's online, or that touches on collection documentation.

    • Which collection items are relevant to [research question] and how are they made accessible?
    • Is there documentation on the provenance and collection history of [collection item]?
    Explore library and archive

  7. I don't yet know exactly where to start

    That's a normal starting point. One name, one photograph or one question is enough to begin with.

    • I have a photograph from my family and want to know what's in it.
    • I know the name of a residential camp and want to know what exists about it.
    Sharpen your question

From question to research question

How a question grows

A broad question is a good start. The more specific it becomes, the better we can see which sources are relevant.

Where you start

“I'm looking for information about my family.”

Where we can take it from there

“I'm researching [name], who lived in [place or residential camp] around [period]. What sources are there about this person, the family or the environment?”

Where you start

“I want to know something about residential camps.”

Where we can take it from there

“How did daily life in [residential camp] develop between [year] and [year], and what photographs, documents or stories are available about this?”

Where you start

“I'm researching an organisation.”

Where we can take it from there

“What sources are available about [organisation] and its activities in [place] during [period]?”

Six questions

Sharpen your research question

You don't need to answer all of them. What you do know helps us most.

Who
A person, family or organisation
What
An event, subject or activity
Where
The Moluccas, a residential camp, a city, a neighbourhood or an institution
When
A year, a period or a generation
What do you already know
Names, dates, references or documents you have in your possession
What do you want to know
Where you ultimately want to take your research

Explore for yourself

Your research can start here

These sources often already provide useful leads.

Archive cabinets, document boxes and working materials in the Museum Maluku depot
Archive material in the depot. Cataloguing and digitisation partly determine what can be found online.

The next step

Want to go further?

Do you have a specific research question after your initial exploration, or are you looking for sources that aren't directly available online? Then you can submit a research request.

Submit a research question

On the request form, “Research” is already selected for you. After receiving your request, we look at which collection, sources or expertise may be relevant; sometimes we ask for additional information before we can determine what's possible. The processing time depends on the nature and scope of the request, so we don't publish a fixed response time.

The physical archives are currently not accessible for research; online research and a targeted request remain possible. Whether costs are involved in a request is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and any costs are discussed with you beforehand.