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Library & Collections

The CHS Collection represents the environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural heritage of the entire state of California, including materials from outside California that contribute to a greater understanding of the state and its people.

The collection comprises a diverse body of materials documenting the history of the state, including: books and pamphlets; manuscript collections; photographs; printed ephemera, periodicals, posters, broadsides, maps, and newspapers; the Kemble Collection on Western Printing and Publishing; works of art, including paintings, drawings, and lithographs; and artifacts and costumes.

North Baker Research Library

Named for North Baker, a California Historical Society trustee whose bequest endows the Library, the North Baker Research Library is a free, public gateway to exploring the CHS collections.

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Search the Collections

Many of the California Historical Society’s collections can be browsed online, including photographs, ephemera, maps, and audio and visual materials.

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Rights & Reproductions

The California Historical Society encourages the use of materials from our collection by scholars, authors, publishers, and the general public. We encourage you to use materials from our collection that are in the public domain, and our reproductions team can assist you with any project, large or small.

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Donate

The California Historical Society maintains an active and growing collection of historical materials. If you are interested in donating historical materials to CHS, please review our collecting priorities and policies.

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