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Our Museum in Action

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a nonprofit organization that depends on the support and generosity of thousands of fans to fulfill our mission to preserve history, honor excellence and connect generations.

For over 80 years, our Collection and Archive have grown to more than 40,000 Museum artifacts and three million Library items that are in need of continual care.

Your support is critical to the care of these one-of-a-kind treasures and helps ensure a world-class museum experience for generations to come.

Photographs

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PRESERVATION OF THE LOOK MAGAZINE PHOTO COLLECTION

As we continue our work to digitally preserve the Museum’s photo collection, there is a “hidden collection” within our Photo Archives that we have identified as a priority in these efforts.

Our Look Magazine Collection was first donated to the Museum in 1954 and has grown with additional donations received through the years. In all, the collection contains 4,108 total images in a variety of formats and sizes – the majority of which are negatives.

This nearly unmined collection needs to be reorganized, rehoused and conserved. As each image is rehoused we will digitize it, which will reduce handling of the original, preventing additional damage and ensuring that it is preserved for years to come.

Additionally, digital preservation of the images will make this collection more accessible to fans at our website and will streamline access for our staff for exhibits, research and other projects.

Our team is excited to begin work on this project and to unlock the history within this significant collection. To move this preservation project forward, we need to secure additional funds.

Please consider making a gift today toward the Look Magazine Collection project to ensure these historic images are preserved for generations of fans to enjoy.

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Well before the integration of Major League Baseball, Satchel Paige was regarded as one of the most commanding pitchers in the game. (Look Magazine/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

DIGITALLY PRESERVE HISTORIC PHOTOS

The Dean O. Cochran Jr. Photographic Archives at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum contains photographs of every aspect of the game of baseball. Our collection depicts the broad diversity of people on the field, the places they played, and the action of the game. The 300,000 photographs housed in the Photo Archives document more than 150 years of baseball history; they are a visual record of the game’s place in American culture.

We need your help to continue our work to digitally preserve the Museum's photo collection. Once digitized, many of the photos will be added to the our digital collection at collection.baseballhall.org

WHAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER

Thanks to a number of generous donors, photographs of 328 Hall of Famers - more than 98 percent of all inductees from the Classes of 1936 to 2020 - have been funded in full and will be digitally preserved.

Projects Funded

 

Artifacts

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ARTIFACTS IN NEED OF CARE AND CONSERVATION

Here are a few artifacts from our collection that are in need of care. With your support, each of these priceless treasures can be preserved to help fans relive the moments and memories from baseball's past for future generations to come.

WHAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER

Thanks to the support of fans like you, these conservation projects have been funded.

Library Documents

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DIGITALLY PRESERVE ITEMS FROM OUR LIBRARY ARCHIVE

The Library archive is substantial, containing more than three million Library items, including a collection of original contracts, scouting reports, team publications, scrapbooks and much more.

Learn more about our Research Center here.

    WHAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER

    Thanks to the support of fans like you, these digital preservation library projects have been funded.

    Baseball Cards

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    BASEBALL CARD COLLECTION CARE PROJECT

    Through our Baseball Card Collection Care Project we will catalog and rehouse our entire baseball card collection.

    To do this, we need to secure funds to purchase new archival-quality materials that meet the highest standard in Museum collection care.

    Make a gift today toward the new project to ensure these cardboard gems are preserved for generations of fans to enjoy.

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    A collage of Donruss Diamond Kings cards featuring a "line-up" of Hall of Famers. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

    A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.

    Jackie Robinson, Hall of Fame Class of 1962

    We hope that you to consider a gift to help support any of these important projects.

    Every gift is important and we are grateful that you have considered helping ensure these artifacts, photographs and library items are preserved for fans to enjoy for generations to come.

    For more information - or to make a donation by phone toward any amount toward one of these projects - please contact our Development Team at 607.547.0385.

    If you prefer to make a general contribution to support our mission to Preserve History, Honor Excellence and Connect Generations, you can do so at the link below.

    DONATE