The Nederlands Architectuurinstituut (NAi) is more than a museum alone: it also incorporates archives, a library, and a cultural platform, all in one. The NAi preserves the archives and collections of Dutch architects from the year 1800 onward and makes them accessible to the public. It provides opportunities for research and offers a platform for discussions. By means of exhibitions and publications, the NAi aims to inform and inspire the public at large.

The NAi owns one of the largest collections in the world in the field of architecture: drawings, drafts, scale-models, photographs, books, magazines, etc; in total, they cover eighteen linear kilometers (about 11 miles). The institute sees to the preservation and administration of these archives and collections, dating from 1800 onward, in which the work of nearly all major Dutch architects is to be found, and makes them accessible to the public. The library includes more than 40,000 books on architecture and related disciplines as well as a large selection of magazines in the field. The study hall offers researchers, students, as well everyone who is interested in architecture, the opportunity to refer to publications and archives in peace and quiet.