The Seaver Center for Western History Research collects, preserves, and makes available to the general public and to scholars historic records pertaining to the history and the exploration of the trans-Mississippi American West, with particular emphasis on Southern California and Los Angeles. Its historic records holdings include (but are not limited to) manuscript materials, books, serials, trade…

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is the oldest section of Los Angeles. Its twenty-seven historic buildings clustered around an old plaza range in architectural style from an adobe dwelling of 1818 to a Spanish-style church of 1926. Four of the buildings have been restored as museums. A brochure describing the buildings is available at the Information Desk in the Plaza or at the El…

The Santa Monica Historical Society was founded in 1975 as part of the city’s centennial celebration with the mission of collecting and preserving the history, art and culture of the Santa Monica Bay Area. In 1988, a Museum was established to house the Society’s growing collections of artifacts, documents, rare books, newspapers, textiles, artwork, and photographic images. Currently, the Museum’s…

The collection consists of records and artifacts pertaining to the history of The Jonathan Club, a social club founded in Los Angeles in 1896 and currently serving 4,000 members. Included are thousands of photographs of members and member events, a full run of the Jonathan Magazine (1931-present), some early rosters and registers of Club activities, and realia from various club headquarters and…

The Salvation Army Museum of the West houses materials of the Western Territory of the Salvation Army. The Southern California Division is headquartered in Los Angeles proper but services all of Southern California, including Salvation Army churches, Adult Rehabilitation Centers, shelters, and other programs run by The Salvation Army. The collection chronicles the developments and changes of The…

Images of Los Angeles and its communities are preserved in the collections of the California Museum of Photography. In the immense archive of vintage stereographic negatives and prints known as the Keystone-Mast Collection are views taken between 1885 and 1960 of places, people, landmarks, industries, agriculture, and historical events in the Los Angeles region. The University Print Collection…