The Institute for Baseball Studies is the first humanities-based research center of its kind associated with a college or university in the United States. The Institute is a collaborative effort of Whittier College administrators and faculty members, and the Baseball Reliquary.

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.