Children's Drawings Archive Captures History from 18th Century to Pandemic

The Swedish Children's Image Archive, located in Eskilstuna, houses an extraordinary collection of over 700,000 children's drawings. These artworks provide a unique historical record, capturing how children perceived their world from the 18th century up to contemporary events like the September 11 attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andrea Langendorf, the acting project coordinator, emphasizes the archive's importance, stating, "If we don't preserve children's drawings, how will we know that children have existed in society?" The collection offers a crucial counterpoint to traditional archives, which are often dominated by the perspectives of male authorities. These drawings provide a direct window into children's lives and their understanding of significant historical moments.

Established in 1977, the archive was founded in response to discussions about the need for a center documenting children's creative output. A significant portion of the collection originated from drawings donated by art teacher Janne Brandt in 1977. Housed within the Eskilstuna Art Museum, the archive's compact shelving units are filled with these historical documents.

Karin Isaksson, an archivist, explains the purpose: "The idea is that children should be able to tell adults and the future about what was important to them." The archive accepts drawings without strict technical or aesthetic criteria, believing that every drawing carries a story and reflects a child's right to be heard, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.