Archives & Special Collections Guide to the Collections
Skip to Main ContentOur collections are as wide-ranging as the liberal arts curriculum. We have strong holdings in the fields of literature, history of science, history, international diplomacy, and many more. This guide is intended to enable visitors to browse our holdings in a variety of broad subject areas.
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Amherst College History
As the official archival repository of Amherst College, our collections comprehensively document the history of the college, student life, and the activities of our alumni. More...
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Literature: Poetry, Fiction, and Journalism
Emily Dickinson and Richard Wilbur are two of the major American poets whose papers are held at Amherst. We also have extensive holdings by novelists, journalists, and writers of all stripes. More...
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Performing Arts: Theatre, Film, and Television
Archives and Special Collections has strong theater, film, and television-related collections ranging from the archives of the Samuel French company to the papers of alumni active in film and television production. More...
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Natural History and the History of Science
Amherst College had strong programs in the sciences from very early in its history. We have outstanding holdings of books and archival collections in geology, astronomy, ornithology, and the history of science in general. More...
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Asian Studies
Amherst College's close ties to Japan date back to the arrival of Joseph Hardy Neesima (AC 1870), the first Japanese citizen to receive a degree from an American college. We also hold the papers of John Dower (AC 1959), author of Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II, and other works on Asian history. More...
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Diplomacy and Government Service
We hold the papers of several faculty and alumni who have held prominent positions in government such as John J. McCloy, Karl Loewenstein, and many others. More...
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Social Activism
From the abolitionist movement of the early nineteenth century to the underground press of the late twentieth century and beyond, we have many collections that document the reform and activist movements of the past 200 years. More...
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Missionaries and Travel
Amherst College was founded with the goal of preparing young men for missionary service both abroad and within the USA. We hold diaries, letters, photographs, and other materials that document the activities of Amherst missionary families active throughout the world. More...
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New England History
The founding of Amherst College drew supporters from throughout Massachusetts and New England. We have substantial holdlings from prominent New England families such as that of Samuel Bowles, editor of The Springfield Republican. More...
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History of Printing and Publishing
From the Gutenberg Bible to brand-new books, our collections document the changes in printing technologies and publishing trends since the mid-fifteenth century. More...