COLLECTIONS
ARTIFACTS & EPHEMERA
The Historical Artifact Collection, including more than 200 ribbons and pin backs, document the social life of Bristol residents for the last 200 years. We have an especially robust collection of Fourth of July materials.
ARTWORK
The BH&PS Artwork Collection includes painted portraits, landscapes, drawings, sketches, architectural renderings, and hand painted china and other decorative items.
MANUSCRIPTS
The Manuscript Collection consists of more than 100 collections of personal and family papers and institutional and early business records that date from the 1700s to the present.
BOOKS & PAMPHLETS
The non-circulating library contains hundreds of local and regional histories, including works by local authors, genealogical materials, business directories, and subject files.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The Photograph Collection consists mainly of images of Bristol and Bristolians. We hold daguerreotypes, tintypes, ambrotypes, glass-plate negatives, and carte-de-visite portraits of individuals, houses, and groups
TEXTILES
The Textile Collection contains hundreds of 19th and 20th century fabric items. We have a rich collection of women’s clothing, military uniforms, doll clothes, and hand worked items including samplers and quilts.
WORKING BRISTOL
This collection provides various types of materials relating to the history of industry in Bristol, including, but not limited to, ledgers, account books, photographs, correspondence, and artifacts.
FURNITURE
Our collection consists of chairs, tables, desks, secretaries and glass front cabinets of various periods from Bristol homes. We also have a collection of children’s furniture including prams, high chairs, and cradles.
NEWSPAPERS
The Newspaper Collection contains over 40 titles, ranging from single issues of American and foreign newspapers to extensive runs of early Providence, Warren, and Bristol papers.
In addition, the Bristol Phoenix
is available online for researching events in Bristol dating back to 1833. It's also an excellent resource for genealogists tracing their Bristol ancestors. Use this link to search by year or browse by keyword: