Collection includes materials related southern California tourism, the Mission Revival movement, peace movement (1st half 20th century, citrus industry, and materials related to specific collections,including fine art, statuary, bells, crosses, dolls, aviation, Native American basketry, and Asian arts.

The Mojave Desert Archives preserves the history of transcontinental travel to the Los Angeles region through the Mojave Desert of eastern California. Route 66, National Old Trails Road, the Mojave Wagon Road, the Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF), Union Pacific Railroad, and Interstate highways were and are major transit routes through the desert terminating in the Los Angeles basin.

Collections include pamphlets and ephemera documenting the growth, industries, transportation, and social organizations of Los Angeles and greater southern California; photograph collections; thousands of books related to southern California; and numerous archival collections related to indiviuals, the citrus industry, and businesses in the Inland Empire.