WILLEMSTAD – The National Archives of Curaçao has officially launched its new digital repository (e-depot) and redesigned website as part of International Archives Week 2026, marking a major step forward in preserving and making the island’s documentary heritage accessible to the public worldwide.
The launch took place on June 9, International Archives Day, under this year’s global theme, “Archives for Justice: Rights, Memory and Futures.”
According to the National Archives, archives play a fundamental role in supporting justice, protecting rights, preserving collective memory, and promoting transparency and accountability. They document decisions, responsibilities, and historical developments, contributing to legal, social, cultural, historical, and intergenerational justice.
The new website serves as the public gateway to the e-depot, allowing users to access digitized archival collections online. The initiative represents an important milestone in the digitalization and democratization of Curaçao’s national memory.
One of the first collections to be made available through the e-depot is the Archive of the Main Electoral Bureau. Approximately 70 percent of this archive has already been digitized. Work is currently underway on the technical “ingest” process, which involves transferring and organizing the digital files within the repository. This specialized process is being carried out by external experts.
Already fully accessible through the e-depot is the Archive of the District Masters, better known as the Juliana-Brenneker Collection. The collection represents Curaçao’s only plantation archive and is considered one of the island’s most significant historical resources.
Due to its exceptional historical value, the collection has been recognized by UNESCO as part of its Memory of the World Programme, making it important not only to Curaçao but to global historical heritage.
Until recently, public access to many of these records was limited because of the fragile condition of the original documents. Through digitization, the collection is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to researchers, students, and interested individuals around the world.
The National Archives emphasized that one of the key advantages of the e-depot is that it combines long-term preservation with public accessibility.
The institution has also set an ambitious goal of making Curaçao’s entire Colonial Archive—approximately 600 meters of archival material—digitally available within the next three years. Officials believe the project will significantly boost historical research, public awareness of the island’s past, identity formation, and nation-building efforts.
The digital archive is also expected to become an important educational resource for both local and international audiences.
Looking ahead, the e-depot will serve as the final repository for all digitally generated government archives, making it a key component of Curaçao’s broader e-government strategy. Because the system requires standardized metadata and archival structures, it is also expected to improve the management and organization of digital government information.
With the launch of the e-depot and its new website, the National Archives of Curaçao has taken a major step toward ensuring the long-term digital preservation and accessibility of the nation’s heritage for current and future generations.