Historical societies preserve local and regional history by collecting documents, photographs, artifacts, and oral histories that document the lives and events that shaped communities. These organizations serve as community memory keepers, making historical records accessible to researchers, students, and the general public.

There are 52 states with Historical Society locations across the United States. There are over 16,000 historical societies and history museums in the U.S., ranging from state-chartered organizations to small volunteer-run county societies.

Historical Society in the United States

Browsing by state helps researchers, genealogists, and history enthusiasts find their local or state historical society, where archives, exhibits, and educational programs are available to the community.

Common Services

Researchers visiting a historical society archive should contact the organization in advance to schedule an appointment, as many collections require advance notice for retrieval and some materials may be restricted for preservation reasons.

For official information, visit American Association for State and Local History.

Historical Society by State
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About Historical Society

Historical societies are typically organized as nonprofit corporations or state government agencies, supported through membership dues, private donations, government grants, and earned income from publications, museum admission, and research services.

Common Services

Homeowners of historic properties should contact their state or local historical society to explore National Register of Historic Places designation, which can provide access to federal and state historic preservation tax credits.

For official information, visit National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.