Archive Management and Special Collections

Archival collections require a collections management system purpose-built to support hierarchical description, international standards, and the long-term stewardship of complex materials. The Archives feature in TMS Collections offers a comprehensive solution for archival workflows, enabling the management of paper records, physical objects, and digital materials within a unified system.

Designed to meet international archival standards, Archives supports hierarchical levels of arrangement and description across the full lifecycle of archival materials. The system enables accessioning and transfer of ownership, media management, conservation, exhibition, access, and advanced reporting—without the need for complex integrations or duplicative data entry.

Unified Catalog
Manage physical and digital assets in one system, integrating exhibition planning, conservation, and cross-referencing between collections.

Hierarchical Descriptions
Supports multi-level descriptions in line with ISAD(G) and DACS for accurate archival processing.

Custom Thesaurus Tool
Create flexible, hierarchical vocabularies tailored to your archival collections, ensuring they align with your specific needs.

Aggregate Search
Search both museum and archival collections in a unified interface for richer, contextual insights.

Control of Locations & Containers
Simplify tracking and management of archival assets, including location, container, movement and shipment.

Media File Support with OCR
Catalog digital objects and associate media files. Make text-based documents fully searchable with OCR.

Tools for Managing Archives and Special Collections

Hierarchical Arrangement and Standards-Based Description

The Archives tool in TMS Collections supports multi-level arrangement and description in alignment with international archival standards, including ISAD(G) and DACS. Archivists can structure collections from the fonds level down to series, files, and individual items to maintain intellectual control.

Integrated Access to Physical and Digital Materials

Archives enables institutions to manage paper records, three-dimensional objects, and digital assets within a single, unified system. Media files can be associated directly with archival records, including support for OCR to make text-based documents searchable.


	Everything runs from TMS. The acquisition, cataloguing, conservation, exhibitions, photography, and rights management are all managed through it.

	Kevin Forkan, Head of Archives and Library, M+

Designed for Modern Archival Management

The Archives feature in TMS Collections brings together collections data, institutional access, and standards-based description in a single, reliable system.

Comprehensive Integration
Easily cross-reference object collections with archival documents within a single database, providing a complete view of an object’s history and current status, without the need for external integrations.

Flexible Institution-Wide Engagement
Enable deep research with the flexibility to grant broad access for general searches or restrict sensitive collections with fine-grained control, ensuring that only authorized users can view specific records.

Standards Compliance
Archives complies with international archival standards, including ISAD(G) and DACS, providing archivists with an easy and accurate framework for describing and managing collections.