Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

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Collection Programs

Battle of Lexington

Inside the Vault

Inside the Vault: Highlights from the Gilder Lehrman Collection is a zoom presentation of documents from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. Join our curators and learn the fascinating stories behind the documents. This event is for teachers, students, and their families — and everyone with an interest in history!

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Archivist

Digital Volunteers

Join our Digital Volunteers and transcribe documents from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. These typed transcripts will help make primary sources more accessible for students, teachers, and researchers. 

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