Køge Byhistoriske Arkiv

Where Køge’s memories are carefully kept

Køge Byhistoriske Arkiv is the documentary memory of the town, dedicated to collecting, preserving and making accessible material about Køge and nearby parishes such as Boholte, Ølsemagle and Lellinge. Behind its modest entrance on Nørregade, shelves and archival boxes hold everything from centuries‑old documents to modern photographs, local leaflets and personal collections. Rather than display cases and large exhibitions, you will find a research room and knowledgeable staff who help unlock this material. It is the place where local associations deposit their minutes, where businesses send old records, and where private families donate albums and papers that shed light on everyday life.

Collections that map a town’s changing life

The archive’s holdings cover a broad sweep of Køge’s development: urban planning, harbour life, crafts and trades, housing, schools and cultural life. Historic maps show how streets and plots have shifted; property records help reconstruct who lived where; and image collections trace the transformation from market town to modern municipality. For anyone exploring family history, church books, census extracts and local registers can be consulted on site, often alongside card indexes and digital tools that make searching more efficient. Researchers interested in specific themes – from wartime experiences to industrial stories – can draw on clippings, pamphlets and unpublished manuscripts.

A working room more than a classic museum

Visiting the archive feels closer to entering a reading room than walking into a gallery. Tables, computers and reference tools dominate the public space, and visits typically revolve around concrete research questions. Staff can advise on how to frame a search, where to begin, and which collections are most promising for a given topic. The atmosphere is quiet and concentrated, suited to note‑taking and slow browsing of fragile originals. Because material must be preserved for the long term, handling rules are taken seriously: pencils instead of pens, clean hands, and careful use of supports for larger volumes or maps.

Part of a wider network of local archives

Køge Byhistoriske Arkiv forms one branch of Køge Arkiverne, a network that also includes local archives for Skovbo, Herfølge‑Sædder and Højelse. Together they divide the municipality into coverage areas, ensuring that documents from villages and rural parishes are not lost and that each area has dedicated guardians of its heritage. This collaboration strengthens the possibilities for regional research. A topic beginning in the town – such as a factory, railway line or school reform – can often be followed into the countryside through related collections in the sister archives, with staff pointing visitors to the right place.

Planning a focused stop in central Køge

The archive’s limited opening hours make it a place best visited with some preparation. Checking current timetables in advance, defining your questions and perhaps contacting staff ahead of time can help them retrieve relevant boxes before you arrive. Allow enough time for slow reading: once you begin unfolding old maps or scanning names in a register, hours can pass quickly. Located in Køge’s compact historic centre, the archive fits easily into a day spent exploring the town’s cobbled streets, harbourfront and museums. For anyone with roots in the area, or a professional interest in local history, it can become the most meaningful stop of all, connecting present‑day Køge with the stories preserved on paper within these walls.