The NPS History Collection preserves and shares the stories of the history, culture, management, resources, challenges, and successes of the National Park Service (NPS). The artifacts and records encompass the breadth and depth of the agency’s history.
NPS Director George B. Hartzog established the NPS History Collection at Harpers Ferry Center on November 6, 1972. Today the collection comprises over 4 million objects and documents. Use our online resources to explore the many aspects of the NPS, get to know the men and women that manage and protect the National Park System, and celebrate more than 100 years of NPS history.
NPS Archives
Records detailing the ongoing challenges of the NPS mission to preserve park resources unimpaired for future generations while making them accessible for today's visitors. See how the collection can help you learn more about our management history and issues.
NPS Historic Photograph Collection
Images of America’s special places, the people that care for them, and the visitors that love them. Search our online selection from the 400,000 images in the collection to see if there is anyone you know or anywhere you have been.
NPS Oral History Collection
Stories of NPS history, adventure, humor, tragedy, camaraderie, and family told by the men and women of the the NPS in their own words.
NPS Uniform Collection
The NPS uniform is an iconic symbol of our staff and mission recognized around the world and one we wear with pride. See how the uniform has changed over time.
NPS History Collection
Objects that connect people to our history from before the founding of the NPS to today. Search the NPS Web Catalog to see a selection of objects.
Learn More about NPS History
The following resources can help you learn more about our history:
- Museum of the National Park Ranger at Yellowstone National Park
- NPS History in Other Collections
Frequently Asked Questions
The National Park Service (NPS) History Collection acquires and preserves a wide variety of objects and documents that reflect the history of the bureau, its mission, and its employees. As American society has changed, so too has the NPS. Practices, attitudes, and language that were once common in some segments of our society are no longer considered acceptable.
The NPS History Collection, like other museums and archives, contains documents, images, and objects that reflect those earlier attitudes and events. Some content may be harmful or difficult to view as it may:
-
reflect racist, sexist, ableist, misogynistic, and xenophobic opinions and attitudes;
-
be discriminatory towards or exclude diverse views on sexuality, gender, and more; or
-
include graphic descriptions or images of historical events such as assaults, accidents, violent death, terrorist acts, natural disasters, hunting or trapping, and more.
Although NPS History Collection staff cannot change the historic documents or images, they can work to assess and update descriptions that are harmful and to establish standards to prevent future harmful language in staff-generated descriptions. NPS History Collection staff will also:
-
identify potentially harmful content as collections are processed;
-
inform users about the presence and origin of harmful content, when known;
-
revise descriptions and standardized sets of descriptive terms, as needed;
-
prevent bias and exclusion in our acquisition and digitization policies; and
-
continue the NPS institutional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
If you have questions or concerns about potentially harmful content in the NPS History Collection or as found on our websites, digital asset management systems, or in our finding aids, please contact the archivist.
Museum collection storage areas are not open to the public. The NPS History Collection is available for research by appointment only.
The NPS History Collection is generally available for research by appointment weekdays only from 9:30am-4:30pm. Staff tries to accommodate requested appointment days and time, but alternative days or times may be necessary as staff and space are limited.
Contact the archivist for more information. Before scheduling a reseach appointment, the archivist will discuss your research topic with you to get a better sense of how the collection may meet your needs and to coordinate the visit.
All requests for copies of materials from the NPS History Collection must be submitted on the user agreement form, available here. Federal employees seeking copies for official business should use the federal user agreement form. Once completed please email them to the archivist.
Currently there is no cost for scans of photographs or documents in the NPS History Collection. A cost recovery progran is currently under development. This information will be updated as that program is implemented.
Last updated: August 4, 2022