The mission of the California Institute of Technology Archives and Special Collections is to facilitate understanding of Caltech’s role in the history of science and technology, and of the research and lives of its community. Accordingly, we collect, organize, preserve, exhibit, and make available for research the records that document this history, both tangible and virtual. We are guided in our work by the Society of American Archivists’ Core Values and Code of Ethics.

The Archives seeks engagement with all segments of the Caltech community, as well as those beyond Caltech interested in our collections or Caltech’s history. We collaborate with faculty to incorporate rare books and unique records into their research and teaching, with students who are engaged in historical research both for coursework and for their own interest, and with staff consulting our collections for communications, informational, or administrative purposes. We also host exhibitions and public events to share the history that we preserve with the campus community and beyond.