Art Deco "Bluebird" Radio, manufactured by Sparton Co., Jackson, Michigan, ca. 1935

Donating to the Collections of the Missouri Historical Society

The Missouri Historical Society collects objects and other materials that document and represent the history and culture of the St. Louis metropolitan community. Also of interest are materials relating to the Missouri Territory, the development and history of the state, the Spanish and French colonial period in the Mississippi Valley, the Louisiana Purchase Territory and the role of St. Louis during American Westward expansion.

While some of the objects and materials in the museum and library's collections belonged to or document well-known people or momentous events in history (such as the collections relating to Lewis & Clark or Charles Lindbergh), much of the collection documents everyday life. A housewife's work dress, a restaurant menu, a manufacturer's catalog and the photographs of family life are all important if they relate to our collecting area. These everyday items are especially significant for our collections if the donor can tell us who used them and when they were used.

The materials that the Missouri Historical Society seeks do not have to be in excellent condition or look like they have never been used. A well-worn artifact may tell more about our history than does an item that was never out of its box. In addition, an item does not have to be old. Items of recent vintage will be of great importance to the future. It is easier for us to collect them now, while they are still plentiful and readily available.

Any item accepted for the permanent collections of the Missouri Historical Society is housed in a state-of-the-art storage facility, where it is preserved and made available for exhibitions, programming and research at the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center.

To inquire about donating to the collections of the Missouri Historical Society, please contact us by phone at: 314-746-4527; by e-mail at objects@mohistory.org.

Your inquiry will be referred to a curator who will follow up with you directly.