What does TU Braunschweig collect?

The history and culture of university collections form an integral part of a university’s academic ecosystem. There is a growing awareness of their value for research, teaching, science communication and networking. Since 1 July 2026, a project funded by the Braunschweig Cultural Heritage Foundation has been underway, which is systematically examining the collections of Technische Universität Braunschweig.

TU Braunschweig possesses a diverse range of collections – including teaching, research and historical collections. Individual collections have already been compiled, catalogued, researched and presented to the public. They are integrated into courses and degree programmes, form part of reaccreditation processes, or serve as the basis for joint appointments with external partners.

A look at the history of the Technische Hochschule (1878 to 1968) also shows that exhibition and teaching collections were core elements of its identity. This highlights a particular need to document, preserve and academically evaluate the existing holdings. However, a systematic, university-wide inventory and preservation of all collections has so far been lacking.

The two-year cooperation project between the University Library, the University Archives and the Institute of History therefore pursues several objectives: to catalogue existing and possibly as yet undiscovered collections; to pool the expertise of those working with the holdings; to raise the profile of the collections both within and outside the university; and to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a permanent collection coordination scheme. The collections coordination team advises, supports and assists the institutes and faculties in managing their holdings.

The project team welcomes information about collections at TU Braunschweig institutions – even if it is not yet clear whether they constitute a collection in the strict sense of the term. Contact: Dr. Laura Breede, archiv@tu-braunschweig.de, phone: +49 531-391 5059.