Antiquarian Society, Worcester

The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), founded in 1812, is the oldest historical society in the United States with a national scope. Located in Worcester, it serves as both a learned society and a research library specializing in pre-20th-century American history and culture. Its main building, Antiquarian Hall, holds the prestigious designation of a U.S. National Historic Landmark in recognition of its historical and scholarly contributions.

At its core, AAS is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and study of printed materials that document the history of what is now the United States, from the first European settlements through 1876. This vast collection comprises over four million items, including books, pamphlets, newspapers, periodicals, manuscripts, graphic arts, and ephemera. The Society is estimated to hold two-thirds of all books printed in what became the U.S. from 1640 to 1820, with many being exceedingly rare or unique.

Among its most prized possessions is a copy of the Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in America. AAS also maintains one of the largest collections of pre-1876 American newspapers, with over two million issues. Other notable holdings include The Humming Bird, or Herald of Taste, the first American women's magazine edited by a woman, over 60,000 pieces of sheet music, historical board games, puzzles, a significant pottery collection, early photographs from the 1830s to the 1920s, and children’s literature dating back to the 1650s.

For researchers and history enthusiasts alike, the American Antiquarian Society stands as an indispensable institution preserving and illuminating the literary and cultural heritage of early America.