What will you unbox?

A new database lists the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II, then recruited to U-M to work. One researcher explores U-M’s role and the legacy of this labor.

Explore the history of thousands of African American students and their enduring legacy at U-M. This online database lists the names and years of attendance of every African American student who attended the University for any length of time from 1853-1970.

Built in 1854, the Detroit Observatory is now a museum, part of the Bentley Historical Library. Its latest exhibit, Watcher of the Sky: Making and Remaking the Detroit Observatory, explores explore the life of this historic observatory, 170 years in the making.

When Walt Di Mantova visited the archives to investigate a possible family connection to the Manhattan Project, he found more than he bargained for regarding J. Robert Oppenheimer.

A rare and surprising cache of sixty new letters makes its way to the Bentley to supplement an existing collection.

Instead of walking through the stacks and selecting things for yourself, Bentley staff will bring materials right to you in the reading room. Wondering what you can see at the Bentley? Our FAQ about finding materials can help you learn more.

We are open to the public and anyone is welcome to browse the collections. The library is located on the University of Michigan’s North Campus. While we recommend making an appointment to visit, it’s not required. Our Visit page is a great place to start.

The Bentley Image Bank has thousands of photos to browse and download—from maps to old trains to game-day crowds and everything in between. Take a look here. Many of these images are part of a larger collection, so there might be even more to see in person.

That’s right! The library has video, audio, and digital materials too. You can explore collections with the click of your mouse through our Materials Available Online page. Not seeing what you need? We can also help you get digital copies, too.

Good news: not every historic document requires you to wear gloves! While it’s important to wear gloves when handling photographs because oils and dirt transfer so easily, it’s actually safer to handle most other papers with clean, bare hands.

In addition to maps, photographs, and paper records the Bentley also archives digital materials including more than 1,700 websites. All are related to the state of Michigan, and many are affiliated with U-M. Explore the web archive.

History is being made every day. That’s why new material comes into the library all the time, where it’s processed to be made publicly available. Fun fact: Bentley materials would stretch more than 15 miles if you lined them all up!

Every month, the Bentley hosts events that are free and open to the public including our Making Michigan series and behind-the-scenes tours that take visitors into the stacks. Explore events, lectures, workshops, and exhibits here.

The Bentley’s flagship publication, Collections, is published in the spring and fall, featuring irresistible stories from the stacks. History comes to life each issue, and the publication is always free. Explore the current issue.

Archives can be challenging to search, so to help you locate what you need, we’ve created useful guides called finding aids. Think of them like a table of contents that outlines what’s inside a box. Learn how to use finding aids.