The archives' collection of manuscripts includes around four million individual notes on folklore and oral tradition; a total of 535 metres of shelf space.

The collection consists mainly of material donated to SKS and the archives by individual collectors. A significant amount of material is the result of collecting competitions and questionnaires. The archives have its own respondent network, made up of around 750 men and women of different ages and social groups from all over Finland.

The main manuscript reference catalogue is arranged by collector. There are also catalogues which are ordered according to geographical area. Some of the most recent material has been added to the archives' database. The archives also contain a wealth of material classified in card indices by genre and content:

• riddles
• narratives and beliefs about animals
• historical and local legends
• laments
• calendar tradition
• poetry in Kalevala metre
• folksongs and tunes
• folk medicine
• folk beliefs
• ethnographical material
• anecdotes
• deterrents for children
• religious legends
• games
• imitating the sounds of nature
• folk tales
• proverbs
• tales of origin / etiological legends
• dances
• belief legends and memorates