Stories held in archives

A regional partnership

When you search here, you search across collections from many archival institutions at once. The Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL) and Penn Libraries created this website together.

Here's a sample of participating institutions. You can pick one to view its collection guides, or browse all institutions.

1. University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library

   166 guides

2. Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library

   26 guides

3. Drexel University Archives

   246 guides

4. Drexel University: College of Medicine Legacy Center

   357 guides

5. Historical Society of Pennsylvania

   285 guides

6. Wagner Free Institute of Science

   13 guides

7. Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

   804 guides

8. Academy of Natural Sciences Archives

   1,208 guides

9. Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives

   143 guides

10. German Society of Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library

    50 guides

11. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

    8 guides

12. University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing

    192 guides

13. Philadelphia University: Paul J. Gutman Library, Special Collections

    6 guides

14. Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center

    22 guides

15. Christ Church Archives

    2 guides

16. University of Pennsylvania: Annenberg School for Communication Library Archives

    6 guides

17. Science History Institute Archives

    712 guides

18. John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center

    68 guides

19. Villanova University: Special Collections

    8 guides

20. 1st Regiment Infantry Museum

    2 guides

21. Awbury Arboretum

    4 guides

22. Saint Joseph's University (formerly Saint Joseph’s College)

    1 guides

23. Free Library of Philadelphia: Children's Literature Research Collection

    50 guides

24. University of Pennsylvania: Architectural Archives

    48 guides

25. University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center

    699 guides

26. University of Pennsylvania: Penn Museum Archives

    207 guides

27. University of Pennsylvania: Archives at the Library of the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

    27 guides

28. University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

    1,547 guides

29. African American Museum in Philadelphia

    26 guides

30. African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas

    4 guides

31. Andalusia Foundation

    1 guides

32. American Swedish Historical Museum

    13 guides

33. John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library

    5 guides

34. Byberry Library

    4 guides

35. Charles Albert Tindley Institute

    1 guides

36. The Center for Art in Wood

    7 guides

37. Chadds Ford Historical Society

    5 guides

38. Chester Heights CampMeeting Association

    1 guides

39. Chestnut Hill Historical Society

    68 guides

40. Conshohocken Historical Society

    16 guides

41. Cliveden of the National Trust

    2 guides

42. Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead

    2 guides

43. Craven Hall Historical Society

    3 guides

44. Concord Township Historical Society

    8 guides

45. Downingtown Area Historical Society

    14 guides

46. Delaware County Historical Society

    47 guides

47. Delaware County Institute of Science

    6 guides

48. Darby Free Library

    2 guides

49. Dublin Historical Society

    3 guides

50. Doylestown Historical Society

    15 guides

51. Eden Cemetery

    1 guides

52. East Falls Historical Society

    4 guides

53. Fireman's Hall Museum

    11 guides

54. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute

    49 guides

55. Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History

    4 guides

56. Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives

    26 guides

57. Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library

    29 guides

58. Glen Foerd on the Delaware

    5 guides

59. Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc.

    14 guides

60. Germantown Historical Society

    38 guides

61. Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust

    2 guides

62. Harcum College Archives

    2 guides

63. Historic Carversville Society

    3 guides

64. Historic Fallsington, Inc.

    3 guides

65. The Henry George Birthplace, Archive and Historical Research Center

    4 guides

66. Highlands Historical Society

    4 guides

67. Historic Langhorne Association

    14 guides

68. Villanova University Archives

    27 guides

69. Lehigh University Special Collections

    280 guides

70. Free Library of Philadelphia: Rare Book Department

    23 guides

71. Philadelphia History Museum

    30 guides

72. Plymouth Meeting Historical Society

    6 guides

73. Pottstown Historical Society

    11 guides

74. Pearl S. Buck International

    7 guides

75. Philadelphia Sketch Club

    4 guides

76. Quakertown Historical Society

    6 guides

77. Richard Allen Museum Archives

    1 guides

78. Radnor Historical Society

    19 guides

79. Ryerss Museum and Library

    2 guides

80. Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society

    1 guides

81. Sellersville Museum

    5 guides

82. Spring-Ford Area Historical Society

    6 guides

83. St. James' Community History Center

    3 guides

84. Strawberry Mansion

    4 guides

85. Solebury Township Historical Society

    4 guides

86. Princeton University Library: Public Policy Papers

    339 guides

87. Princeton University Library: University Archives

    475 guides

88. Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division

    1,885 guides

89. Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections

    2,074 guides

90. Swarthmore College Peace Collection

    1,149 guides

91. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

    1,145 guides

92. Bryn Mawr College

    266 guides

93. Historical Society of Montgomery County

    52 guides

94. Historical Society of Frankford

    44 guides

95. Lower Merion Historical Society

    25 guides

96. James A. Michener Art Museum Archives

    24 guides

97. Newtown Historic Association

    24 guides

98. Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area

    20 guides

99. Tri-County Heritage Library

    16 guides

100. Millbrook Society

     15 guides

101. Lansdale Historical Society

     13 guides

102. Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library

     13 guides

103. Westtown School Archives

     13 guides

104. Historical Society of Fort Washington

     12 guides

105. Worcester Historical Society

     11 guides

106. Historical Society of Tacony

     10 guides

107. Wissahickon Valley Historical Society

     10 guides

108. Media Historic Archives Commission

     9 guides

109. Mummers Museum

     9 guides

110. New Hope Historical Society

     9 guides

111. Springfield Township Historical Society (Montgomery County, Pa.)

     9 guides

112. The Historical Society of Trappe, Collegeville, Perkiomen Valley

     9 guides

113. Limerick Township Historical Society

     7 guides

114. Wallace Township Archives

     7 guides

115. Historical Society of Bensalem Township

     6 guides

116. John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove

     6 guides

117. Perkasie Historical Society

     6 guides

118. Upper Moreland Historical Association

     6 guides

119. Woodmere Art Museum

     6 guides

120. Yardley Historical Association

     6 guides

121. Greek American Heritage Museum

     5 guides

122. Historical Society of Hilltown Township

     5 guides

123. Kennett Township Historical Commission

     5 guides

124. Morris Arboretum Archives

     5 guides

125. National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum

     5 guides

126. Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society

     5 guides

127. Uwchlan Township Historical Commission

     5 guides

128. Lower Makefield Historical Society

     4 guides

129. Montgomery Township Historical Society

     4 guides

130. Stenton

     4 guides

131. Union Library of Hatboro

     4 guides

132. Archives of the Associated Alumni of the Central High School of Philadelphia

     3 guides

133. Dabbs Woodfin Library and Archives at Newlin Grist Mill

     3 guides

134. Eastern State Penitentiary

     3 guides

135. Free Library of Philadelphia: Archives

     3 guides

136. Horsham Preservation and Historical Association

     3 guides

137. Presbyterian Historical Society

     3 guides

138. Sharon Hill Historical Society

     3 guides

139. Springfield Township Historical Society (Bucks County, Pa.)

     3 guides

140. Thornbury Historical Society

     3 guides

141. Warwick Township Historical Society

     3 guides

142. Williamson College of the Trades (Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades)

     3 guides

143. Aston Township Historical Society

     2 guides

144. Christian C. Sanderson Museum

     2 guides

145. Elwyn Historical Archives and Museum

     2 guides

146. Haycock Historical Society

     2 guides

147. Historic Sugartown, Inc.

     2 guides

148. Johnson House Historic Site

     2 guides

149. Lower Pottsgrove Historical Society

     2 guides

150. Mill at Anselma Preservation and Educational Trust

     2 guides

151. Nether Providence Historical Society

     2 guides

152. Newtown Square Historical Society

     2 guides

153. Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts

     2 guides

154. Radnor Hunt Archives

     2 guides

155. Richard Wall House Museum

     2 guides

156. Southampton Baptist Corporation

     2 guides

157. Tinicum Township Historical Society

     2 guides

158. Tyler Arboretum

     2 guides

159. Upper Darby Historical Society

     2 guides

160. Village Improvement Association of Doylestown

     2 guides

161. Welkinweir

     2 guides

162. West Caln Township Historical Commission

     2 guides

163. West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission

     2 guides

164. Wharton Esherick Museum

     2 guides

165. Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association

     2 guides

166. Bucks County Civil War Round Table Library and Museum

     1 guides

167. Chichester Historical Society

     1 guides

168. Eugenio M. de Hostos Archives at Taller Puertorriqueño

     1 guides

169. First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia Archives

     1 guides

170. Friends' Central School Archives

     1 guides

171. Historic Waynesborough

     1 guides

172. John Gloucester Memorial and Historical Society

     1 guides

173. Laurel Hill Cemetery

     1 guides

174. Mikveh Israel Archives

     1 guides

175. Moore Archives at Historic Yellow Springs

     1 guides

176. Museum of the American Revolution

     1 guides

177. Old Eagle School

     1 guides

178. Pennepack Baptist Historical Foundation

     1 guides

179. Pennypacker Mills

     1 guides

180. Philadelphia Folksong Society

     1 guides

181. Philadelphia Society of Free Letts

     1 guides

182. Pottsgrove Manor

     1 guides

183. St. David's Episcopal Church Parish Archives

     1 guides

184. St. Peter's Episcopal Church

     1 guides

185. Sunrise Mill

     1 guides

186. The Archives at the School in Rose Valley

     1 guides

187. The Archives of the Episcopal Church

     1 guides

188. The Wilma Theater

     1 guides

189. Upper Uwchlan Township Historic Commission

     1 guides

190. Villiger Archives of St. Joseph's Preparatory School

     1 guides

191. William M. Lennox Archives Center at Malvern Retreat House

     1 guides

192. Woodlands Mansion and Cemetery

     1 guides