inventarisnummer

Inventarisnummer is a unique identifier assigned to each object in a collection by a cultural heritage, archival, or library institution. It functions as the principal reference key in the institution’s inventory and catalog, enabling staff to locate physical items, retrieve associated metadata, and track provenance, conservation history, location, and loans.

Used across museums, archives, and libraries, the inventarisnummer is typically displayed on the object's label and appears in catalogue records and finding aids. Formats vary by institution; common patterns include a year followed by a running number (for example, 1998.045) or a code with department and sequence (such as M-01234). The number is intended to be stable for the life of the object within that institution, and it may be complemented by additional identifiers such as accession numbers, dates, or other catalog references in related systems.

Assignment usually occurs when an item is formally added to the collection (acquired, donated, or transferred). The inventarisnummer is used to link the physical object with its digital record, storage location, conservation notes, and loan history. It is not guaranteed to be globally unique between institutions; when objects move between institutions, records may carry forward the original number, be adopted into a new system, or receive a new local inventarisnummer.

See also: cataloging, collection management, accession number, finding aid.