Rare Books and MBL Archives

MBL Archives

The Marine Biological Laboratory Archives is a part of the MBLWHOI Library. The MBL Archives contain institutional records dating from 1888. Included in the archives are Directors' papers; scientific papers of a number of MBL-affiliated researchers; an extensive photograph collection dating from the MBL's inception that includes class photos and scenes of the MBL campus and surrounding areas; and a complete collection of Rudolf Leuckart's Teaching Wall Charts.

Search the Archives
(currently not all collections have been added)

Digitized Photographs and Manuscript Collections
Items in this collection were digitalize in collaboration with Center for Biology and Society at Arizona State University

History of MBL
Exhibits and Oral Histories

Leuckart Charts

Research work using the MBL Archives is restricted on-campus to the Agassiz Room. Researchers are asked to complete a Research Request Form prior to arrival.  Library staff will make arrangements for any reproductions - self service copy or scanning is not available. Access restrictions are present on some archival materials.  For further information, see the detailed policies for the Rare Books and MBL Archives.

MBL Archives Collections PDF Finding Aids (updated versions are available for some finding aids. See the 'Search the Archives' link)

• Frederik B. and Betsy G. Bang
• Lester G. and Lucena J. Barth
• Copeland/Bloom Photo Collection
• James Ebert Scientific Papers
• Paul S. Galtsoff
• Viktor Hamburger
• Viktor Hamburger's Reprint Collection
• Arthur Humes
• Alpheus Hyatt
• Ida H. Hyde
• Merkel H. Jacobs
• Frank Lillie
• Otto Loewi
• Ruth Sager
• John W. Saunders, Jr.
• Sally Hughes Schrader
• Benjamin Sonnenblick
• Albert Szent-Györgyi
• John Trinkaus
• Charles Whitman

Rare Books

The Rare Books Room is a climate-controlled environment containing approximately 5300 volumes of works from the 16th - 20th centuries covering such diverse topics as early taxonomy, evolution, genetics, geology, physical oceanography, and natural history.  Housed within the Rare Books Room is an extensive collection of books on oceanic voyages and expeditions encompassing journeys all around the world, including the polar regions. The Rare Books Collection is searchable using the MBLWHOI Library Catalog.

For more information, please contact Library@mbl.edu.