Well over half the material held at the American Philosophical Society Library documents the history of science. These collections include manuscripts, printed materials, images and photographs, as well as oral history interviews and other audio-visual records.

In terms of subject-area, the APS’s history of science collections run the gamut from A to Z—from astronomy to zoology—with particular strengths in genetics, evolutionary biology, and the life sciences. Other areas of note include eighteenth- and nineteenth-century natural history, physics, and the early history of computing.

Explore the collections through the Library's general Collections Search, or visit the History of Science Collections page to view some highlights from our holdings.

Subject Guides

The APS Library hosts several subject guides providing access to its history of science materials. Explore the subject areas below to learn more.

• Natural History
• Math and Physics
• Scientific Exploration

Images

The APS’s Digital Library hosts hundreds of images representing materials in the history of science. Notable digital projects in this area include web exhibits highlighting the lives and achievements of biophysicist Britton Chance and of Nobel Prize-winning physician Baruch Blumberg, whose papers are housed at the APS.

• Frontiers of Knowledge: Britton Chance and New Channels of Discovery
• A Journey of Inquiry: Exploring the Scientific Process through the Manuscript Collection of Baruch Blumberg

Library Long-Term Fellowships in the History of Science

The APS Library offers three long-term residential fellowships for scholars specializing in the history of science. These 12-month fellowships are intended for advanced Ph.D. students working toward the completion of the dissertation or for faculty taking a sabbatical leave.

Library Short-Term Fellowships

Library Short-term Fellowships generally support scholars working toward the completion of a dissertation or book. While we strongly encourage academic scholars to apply, the grant is also open to independent or community-based scholars. The grant provides a stipend of $3,000 for 1–3 months of research in residence at the APS.

The APS Library hosts a robust series of programs, many of them on topics in the history of science. On the second Tuesday of each month, resident fellows, APS staff, area scholars, and others working on history of science projects share work-in-progress as part of the Library's weekly Brown Bag Lunch Series. The APS also hosts a range of general programming that includes monthly Lunches at the Library, conferences and symposia, and public lectures related to the Library's history of science collections.

Learn more about these programs and see a list of upcoming talks on our Library events page.

Have questions about our programs or materials? Contact us at [email protected] or 215-440-3400.