Frequently Asked Questions

Archive access starts with an access request. Open the Login page and select Request access; AHDRC will contact you to create the account. After the account is created, choose the appropriate access plan.

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Subscriber membership is €250 per year and dealer membership is €500 per year. Special assistance is €1,000; call us to discuss its benefits.

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Yes. Institutional licences are available on request and can cover entire research departments. Contact us with your institution's details and we will respond within a few working days.

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You can cancel or change your subscription at any time from your account page. Access remains active until the end of the paid period. Day Passes are not auto-renewed, so they require no cancellation.

Every ID has a unique number which you can use as a reference in your citation.

Absolutely — corrections are one of the most valuable contributions to the archive. Use the "Suggest a correction" button on any object detail page, or email us directly. Edits are reviewed before being applied and the full edit history is kept.

Archive images are provided for scholarly consultation only. Copyright is retained by the original photographer, photo provider, or institution and is credited on each object page. Redistribution or commercial use requires permission from the rights holder.

AHDRC creates archive accounts after an access request; there is no automatic self-registration form.

1. Open the Login page and select "Request access".
2. The contact form opens with an account-access subject already filled in.
3. Enter your name and email address, then add any relevant collector, scholar, or organisation details.
4. Send the request. AHDRC will contact you to complete account setup.

After your account is verified, we kindly ask you to set up Two-Factor Verification for added security.

1. Download an authenticator app on your phone (e.g. Google Authenticator, free and cross-platform).
2. Log in and go to your account section by clicking your email address at the top right, or press "Enable now" on the red banner.
3. Click Two-Factor Authentication, then Setup Authenticator App.
4. Scan the QR code displayed on screen with your authenticator app.
5. Enter the 6-digit code generated by the app to complete the setup.

Once registered and verified, you can log in to access the archive.

1. Press "Login" on the top right of the screen.
2. Enter your email and password.
3. If you have 2FA enabled, you will also be asked for a 6-digit code from your authenticator app.

Use the "Forgot password?" link on the login page to receive a reset email. If no email arrives, check your spam folder and ensure @ahdrc.org is whitelisted.

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The archive supports powerful search with category filtering and tag-based queries.

1. Select the category or categories you would like to consult. Selected categories will be highlighted.
2. Enter your search query using descriptive tags.

Yes. Prefix any tag with - to exclude matching results. Combine excludes with category filters in the sidebar to narrow large result sets — for example searching "mask -metal -Belgium" while only the Masks category is selected.

We collaborate with museums, universities, and private foundations on documentation, hosting, and shared research.

Sponsors & Partners

Supporter contributions are €2,000–€4,999 per year and Benefactor contributions start at €5,000 per year. Patron Council membership is by invitation. Contact us to discuss recognition and benefits.

Sponsors & Partners

AHDRC is a Belgian non-profit. Donations may qualify for tax deductions under Belgian law, and we can issue receipts for institutional donors elsewhere. Please contact us for jurisdiction-specific guidance.

AHDRC is an independent non-profit based in Brussels, founded in 2016. It is run by a small team of researchers and supported by a network of curators, scholars, and institutional partners.

About AHDRC

Yes. AHDRC is a registered Belgian non-profit (ASBL/VZW). Subscription revenue and donations fund archive expansion, researcher support, and partnerships with African institutions.

Material comes from private and museum collections, art dealers, auction catalogues, scholarly publications, and general archives across Europe, the US, and Africa. Every object is catalogued with its source and, where possible, provenance chain.