Use of the Archives for research purposes is available to the public. Reserving a seat in the reading room is necessary prior to one's visit, and particular documents can additionally be requested in advance.
Various research aids are available online. A thorough collections overview is available: http://bestand.landeshauptarchiv-schwerin.de, a research databank: http://find.landeshauptarchiv-schwerin.de as well as an additional online research source: http://ariadne.uni-greifswald.de/images/Ariadne/.
Claims Conference Yad Vashem
Monday to Thursday: 09:00 am to 12:00 am, 01:00 pm to 04:00 pm
Holdings of the Main State Archives include the following collections:Älteres Aktenarchiv (older records), Mecklenburgische Landstände einschließlich ritterschaftliche Grundherrschaften und Landstädte (Mecklenburger estates), Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1701-1933, Mecklenburg Schwerin 1849-1933/Mecklenburg 1934-1945, State of Mecklenburg (-Vorpommern) 1945-1952, Bezirke Schwerin und Neubrandenburg 1952-1990 (districts), Nichtmecklenburgische Behörden und Einrichtungen (other authorities and establishments), maps, pictures, photographs, films and sound recordings
Archival work in the Mecklenburg region can be traced back to the 15th century. Today's archive building (am Burgsee) was designed in 1909-1911 by architect Paul Ehmig. After World War II considerable work was done to return and collect archival materials that were redistributed during the war. Since the re-establishment of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 1990, holdings of the Archives were significantly enriched through the acquisition of records of dissolved state and economic institutions, former parties and organizations. Since 1 January 2006, the Landeshauptarchiv Schwerin became part of the Landesamt für Kultur und Denkmalpflege.
Landeshauptarchiv Schwerin