Harvard University Archives Collections

Collection Highlights

From 17th-century international trade to 21st-century student protest movements, whatever your interest, the Harvard University Archives has collections that can enhance your scholarship. 

Collection

Harvard’s Institutional History and Records
Collection

Harvard Faculty Personal and Professional Archives
Collection

Women at Harvard Collections
Collection

Harvard Student Life Collections
Collection

Harvard Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers
Collection

Science, Technology, & the Environment Collections

Collection Availability

Many of the University Archives' collections are open and available for use. However, restrictions apply to certain categories of material. For questions about access to specific collections, please contact our reference staff at archives_reference@harvard.edu in advance of your visit and/or before requesting any items.

Access Limitations

University policy restricts access to University administrative records for a period of 50 years from the date of their creation.
University records pertaining to individuals, including student and employee records, are closed for a minimum of 80 years.
Archives of student, alumni, and other associated organizations are subject to the same 50- and 80-year restrictions on access.
Personal archives of faculty, administrators, students, and alumni/ae may be subject to restrictions established by the donor.
University records in personal archives are subject to the same 50- and 80-year restrictions on access required by University policy.
Records in general distribution at their time of creation are usually open without restriction. These include announcements, official University publications, calendars, brochures, and public reports.

Publishing from Our Collections

The publication of direct quotations, excerpts, and images from Harvard University Archives' collections requires the permission of the University Archivist.

Submit Permission Request

Please send permission requests to archives_permissions@harvard.edu. Be sure to submit permission requests well in advance of publication date, as it may take several weeks for a reply.

Requests must include the following information:

copies of relevant sections of the manuscript, with quotes or excerpts highlighted, and/or copies of images
complete citations for the original materials, including the name of the collection, title/description/date of the item, folder title, call number, and box number (if applicable)
title of the publication in which the material will appear
name of the publisher
anticipated date of publication

Access

Harvard University Archives exhibits are open to the public. Our materials are available to all researchers in the Archives and Special Collection Reading Room at Houghton Library. Materials should be requested in advance. Appointments are recommended.

Make a Reading Room Appointment