Use Permission

The MHS welcomes use of materials from our collection in publications, exhibitions, presentations, film and video projects, websites, and other works. The library offers two types of use permission:

Permission to cite and quote from unpublished materials -- service details

Permission to reproduce images of materials -- service details and fee scale

All requests should be made through Portal1791. Use ABIGAIL, the collection guides, or online resources to locate the item or items you wish to license and submit a separate request for each item. Contact the reference librarian if you have further questions.

Upcoming Events

MHS Tour

The History and Collections of the MHS

23Feb 10:00AM 2019

The History and Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society Tour is a 90-minute docent-led walk through our public rooms. The tour is free, open to the public, ...

Conversation

Begin at the Beginning: “A water to comfort ye hearte”: 17th century medical recipes

23Feb 1:00PM 2019

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT In the 1600s, housewives were called upon to be healers. They had a wealth of recipes available to them for a variety of ailments. In this reading ...

canceled Modern American Society and Culture Seminar

Our Own Orient: Mecca, California, and Dates

26Feb 5:15PM 2019

Residents changed the name of Walters, California to Mecca in 1904. They were trying to use the exoticism of the Middle East to sell dates. This paper will focus on Mecca ...

See our calendar for all events

From our Blog

This Week @MHS

Join us for a program this week! Here is a look at what is going on: - Tuesday, 29 January, 5:15 PM: Better Teaching through Technology, 1945-1969, with Victoria Cain, Northeastern ...

Founder to Founder

Like so many good stories here at the Historical Society, it began with a reference question. Jeremy Belknap, hunting through his sources, asked Vice President John Adams for some help. Belknap, the ...

Have you seen?

Action between the Merrimac and the Monitor