On research at Moderna Museet | Moderna Museet i Stockholm

Moderna Museet’s assignment includes conducting research, promoting understanding and interest in the field of modern and contemporary art, and the scholarly processing of the Museum’s collection. Here is some information on current and previous research projects, and who to contact if you want to use Moderna Museet’s archives, collections or other resources for your research.

Several research projects have been conducted at the Museum over the years. A fundamental condition for previous and ongoing research projects is that they are based on the Museum’s exhibitions, history and collection, and that they utilise the Museum’s skills in curating, conservation, technology and learning activities.

Assignment and activities

Moderna Museet’s assignment includes making our extensive collection accessible, preparing background material for future exhibitions, and enhancing day-to-day activities. Research is conducted at Moderna Museet by in-house and external researchers. The Museum’s research projects are partially funded by external sources.

A few different structures have been tested for research-related projects, and several collaborations with universities, colleges, museums and other academic institutions have been initiated. The results are shared through internal and external seminars, major symposiums, articles in national and international publications, monographs and anthologies, exhibitions and catalogues.

See works from the collection

To see works from the Moderna Museet collection that are not on display, you need to send a request to the museum’s collection.

Plan your visit

All works in the Moderna Museet collection must be collected from storage prior to your visit. Therefore, allow ample time for us to arrange this. Moderna Museet strives to handle all incoming enquiries within three weeks. Please describe your research project and/or why you are requesting access to the works. Also, be aware that it is not possible to access all works in the collection, due to location, size or condition. You can prepare your enquiry by first checking the collection using the digital tools under “Search the collection”.

Search the collection

Archive documents

To view archive documents, please book your visit through Moderna Museet’s registrar.

Plan your visit

All documents must be requested prior to your visit. Remember to allow ample time for us to retrieve the material. Your application should specify the subject and time period you wish to study documents from.

Copying and photographing archive material

We can provide copies of archive material. The cost of this service is SEK 50 for ten photocopies, and an additional SEK 2 for each additional page. You can also photograph archive material with your own camera. Photographs of archive material may only be used for the purpose of research or private study. Images for publication can be ordered from Moderna Museet’s Rights and Reproductions service (Bildbyrån).

Rights and Reproductions

What is in the archives?

The Moderna Museet archives consist of the Public Records, the two separate archives the Pontus Hultén Archive and the Ulf Linde Archive, and the archives of NUNSKU, the National Committee for the Exhibition of Contemporary Swedish Art Abroad. These archives are a resource for our staff but are also accessible to researchers, students and the interested public.

The Public Records (MMA MA)

The Public Records document the Museum’s daily activities from 1958 to today, including all documents relating to exhibitions and the collection.

Moderna Museet’s early activities (1958–1975) are partially documented in Nationalmuseum’s committee minutes. These minutes have been digitalised and can be accessed at the Art Library, where you will also find the Museum’s catalogues and other publications.

The Art Library

The Pontus Hultén Archive (MMA PHA)

In 2005, Pontus Hultén (1924–2006) donated his private archive to Moderna Museet. This material covers Pontus Hultén’s entire career and activities. It consists mainly of the thousands of letters between Hultén and colleagues, artists and politicians.

Table of Content The Pontus Hultén Archive (in Swedish)

The Ulf Linde Archive (MMA ULA)

Moderna Museet acquired Ulf Linde’s archives in 2014. Ulf Linde (1929–2013) was a Swedish art critic, jazz musician, writer, museum director and member of the Swedish Academy. His archive consists mainly of correspondence, photographic material and printed matter relating to the artist Marcel Duchamp.

Table of Content The Ulf Linde Archive (in Swedish)

NUNSKU (MMA NUNSKU)

NUNSKU (the National Committee for the Exhibition of Contemporary Swedish Art Abroad) was founded in 1965 and was incorporated in Moderna Museet’s operations in 1997. In connection with this merger, the Committee’s older material was transferred to the Museum. The archive contains mainly documents relating to various exhibition projects.