Welcome to the Walter & Leonore Annenberg Research Center's Archives & Special Collections

The Brandywine Museum of Art's Walter & Leonore Annenberg Research Center includes unique resources related to a variety of American art and artists, with special emphasis on illustration, the Wyeth family, and the Brandywine School. The Research Center’s Archives and Special Collections are archival materials such as manuscripts, photographs, scrapbooks, and audiovisual materials pertaining to these subjects. Special Collections also preserve rare, illustrated books and periodicals that provide evidence of the historical record of illustrators’ published works. Additionally, the Research Center and its Manager maintain the Museum’s Institutional Archives, which contain inactive institutional records and are restricted to internal users only.

This database contains finding aids pertaining to our archival collections that are accessible to the public and those doing educational research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a finding aid?

As defined by the Society of American Archivists, a finding aid is "a description that typically consists of contextual and structural information about an archival resource. Often a finding aid places archival resources in context by consolidating information about the collection, such as acquisition and processing; provenance, including administrative history or biographical note; scope of the collection, including size, subjects, media; organization and arrangement; and an inventory of the series and the folders."

How do I access these materials for my research?

Archives & Special Collections are accessible to outside researchers by appointment only. To contact the Research Center Manager to make an appointment, please fill out our scheduling form, or contact us at research@brandywine.org or 610-388-8310.

For more information regarding access to Brandywine collections, please consult our Access & Use Policy prior to your appointment.

I'm looking for books—where can I find more information about library collections?

For more information on our library collections, please consult our library catalog here. Library collections include General Reference materials, as well as Rare Books and Periodicals within Special Collections.

Where can I find more information about the Research Center's policies?

For more information about the Research Center, our Collection Management Policy, and our Access & Use Policies, please see our main website here.

Where can I find more information about the Brandywine Museum of Art?

Please see our website: https://www.brandywine.org/museum

Harmful Content Statement

The Walter & Leonore Annenberg Research Center’s library, archives, and special collections contain historical and contemporary materials documenting artistic expression and lived experience, thus some content includes harmful, offensive, distressing, or inappropriate images or language, including but not limited to materials that document violence or hate speech. Research Center patrons may encounter images and language that are now recognized as offensive and unacceptable; some may have been widely viewed as unacceptable when they were created. As archivists and librarians, we strive in our profession to present historically accurate information and content with integrity. Here at the Research Center, we uphold these principles, while acknowledging that some content within does not represent current socially or culturally appropriate viewpoints. Inclusion of such content within Research Center collections is not an endorsement of its language, images, or ideology. The Research Center upholds the importance of fostering access in a responsible and transparent way, that openly rejects oppressive views that may be reflected in collections.