American Antiquarian Society facts for kids

Quick facts for kids American Antiquarian Society
View of Antiquarian Hall from the corner of Salisbury St. and Park Ave
Country	United States
Type	Private
Established	1812; 213 years ago (1812)
Location	185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°16′38″N 71°48′39″W / 42.27722°N 71.81083°W / 42.27722; -71.81083
Branches	1
Collection
Size	4 million
Access and use
Population served	1,052 (Membership, 2016)
Other information
Director	Scott E. Casper
Staff	45

The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) is a special library in Worcester, Massachusetts. It's like a huge treasure chest of old American history and culture. It collects things from before the 1900s.

The AAS started in 1812. This makes it the oldest historical society in the United States. It focuses on the whole country, not just one state. Its main building, called Antiquarian Hall, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place.

The main goal of the AAS is to find, keep safe, and share all printed materials from what is now the United States. This includes items from the very first European settlements up to the year 1876.

The AAS helps many different people. This includes history experts, students, teachers, artists, writers, and people looking into their family history. Anyone interested in old American things can use its resources.

Amazing Collections

The AAS has a huge collection of over four million items! These include books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, and old pictures. They also have handwritten papers.

• The Society is thought to have two-thirds of all the books printed in the U.S. from 1640 to 1820.
• Many of these books are super rare. Some are even the only copies left in the world!
• They have materials from all 50 U.S. states. They also have items from Canada and the British West Indies.
• One very famous book they own is the Bay Psalm Book. This was the first book ever printed in America.
• The AAS has one of the biggest collections of American newspapers printed before 1877. There are more than two million issues!
• You can find the first American women's magazine edited by a woman here. It was called The Humming Bird, or Herald of Taste.
• The collection also has over 60,000 pieces of old sheet music.
• They have more than 300 old games. These include puzzles, board games, and cards.
• There's a large collection of historical pottery.
• They keep many old diaries and personal papers from New England.
• You can see a diverse collection of photographs. These pictures date from the 1830s to the 1920s.
• The AAS even has children's literature going all the way back to the 1650s!

History of the Society

Isaiah Thomas, who started the American Antiquarian Society

The AAS was started by a man named Isaiah Thomas. It officially began on October 24, 1812. The state of Massachusetts helped make it happen.

It was the third historical society in America. But it was the first one to focus on the entire country. Isaiah Thomas gave the Society about 8,000 books from his own library to start the collection.

• The first library building was built in 1820. It was in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts.
• In 1853, the Society moved to a bigger building. This was also in Worcester.
• Later, they built another new building. This one was finished in 1910. It was designed by Winslow, Bigelow & Wadsworth.
• The building has been made bigger several times. This helps make room for all the new items they collect.
• The newest addition was finished in 2019. It added space for new heating and cooling systems. It also created a special lab for fixing old books. There's also a new learning lab.
• In 2013, President Obama gave the AAS the National Humanities Medal. This was a big honor!

Understanding Old Printing

The AAS is also a "learned society." This means it helps people learn and do research. They offer many public talks and workshops.

One important topic they study is printing technology. They especially look at how things were printed in America in the 1700s. Isaiah Thomas, the founder, was a newspaper man. So, he collected many printed items.

For a long time, printing and paper making didn't change much. This was true until the late 1700s. Before that, paper was often made from hand-woven cloth. Then, people started using industrial pulp.

The AAS works hard to keep old printed records safe. They have a special team that fixes and preserves old books. They use different materials to repair bindings and pages.

Past Leaders of the AAS

Over its more than 200 years, the Society has had 14 main leaders. These leaders helped guide the organization. They also helped decide what items to collect. Different leaders sometimes worked at the same time. They oversaw different parts of the Society.

Famous Members

Many important people have been members of the American Antiquarian Society. These include scholars, writers, journalists, and historians. Even American presidents and community leaders have joined. Here are some of the well-known members:

Awards and Recognition

The American Antiquarian Society received a very special award. President Obama gave them the 2013 National Humanities Medal. This ceremony took place at the White House. It recognized their important work in preserving American history and culture.

See also

• Books in the United States
• History of books
• List of antiquarian societies
• List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
• John Ratcliff
• Massachusetts Historical Society
• National Register of Historic Places listings in northwestern Worcester, Massachusetts