All genealogists, at some point, must take their research offline and visit physical locations. You need to find records that have not been digitized, or request records in person. You may need to browse books or historical newspapers that are only available in local libraries, or see records that are only visible at certain locations like Family Search Centers. Often when you make onsite visits you may stumble upon additional sources or records you didn’t know where available, or you may make contact with knowledgeable experts that can help with your research.
These places include: archives, courthouses, public records offices, museums, history centers, cemeteries, public libraries, genealogical libraries, Family Search Centers, churches, town and city halls, and so on.
Below find a list of specific libraries, archives, and special collections that may hold valuable material related to your research, and we encourage you to visit when you are in the area:
| Libraries, Collections, & Archives | Website Link | Location |
|---|---|---|
| American Antiquarian Society | americanantiquarian.org | Worcester, MA |
| Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute, Center for Jewish History | genealogy.cjh.org | New York, NY |
| Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center | genealogycenter.org | Fort Wayne, IN |
| Bancroft Library (University of California) | lib.berkeley.edu | Berkeley, CA |
| Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library | lib.byu.edu | Provo, UT |
| Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research | houstonlibrary.org | Houston, TX |
| Dallas Public Library | dallaslibrary2.org | Dallas, TX |
| Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library | dar.org/library | Washington, D.C. |
| Detroit Public Main Library | detroitpubliclibrary.org | Detroit, MI |
| Family History Library | familysearch.org.... | Salt Lake City, UT |
| (your local Family History Center) | familysearch.org | various |
| Heritage Library Foundation | heritagelib.org | Hilton Head, SC |
| Historical Society of Pennsylvania | hsp.org | Philadelphia, PA |
| Library of Congress | loc.gov/visit | Washington, D.C. |
| Library of Virginia | lva.virginia.gov | Richmond, VA |
| Los Angeles Public Library | lapl.org | Los Angeles, CA |
| Maryland State Archives | msa.maryland.gov | Annapolis, MD |
| Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center | mymcpl.org | Independence, MO |
| National Archives | archives.gov/dc | Washington, D.C. |
| National Archives at College Park, Maryland | archives.gov/college-park | College Park, MD |
| National Archives at St. Louis, MO | archives.gov/st.louis | St. Louis, MD |
| (your local National Archives branch) | archives.gov/locations | various |
| New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) | americanancestors.org... | Boston, MA |
| New York Public Library | nypl.org/research | New York, NY |
| Newberry Library | newberry.org | Chicago, IL |
| Oklahoma Historical Society | okhistory.org | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Pritzker Military Museum and Library | pritzkermilitary.org | Chicago, IL |
| St. Louis County Library | slcl.org/genealogy | St. Louis, MI |
| Sutro Library, San Francisco State University | library.ca.gov/sutro | San Francisco, CA |
| Tennessee State Library and Archives | sos.tn.gov/tsla | Nashville, TN |
| Western Reserve Historical Society | wrhs.org | Cleveland, OH |
| Wisconsin Historical Society | wisconsinhistory.org | Madison, WI |