WRHS preserves the tangible history of our region, history which can be perceived and experienced in the exhibit galleries, among our properties, and in the library.
Details
In keeping with our mission to tell the stories of our region, we are collecting documents, artifacts, sound files, or moving images that help illustrate life in our communities. We are interested in photographs, correspondence, journals, artwork, music, poetry, and recipes, anything that shows how you, your family, or your neighbors experience life. The materials shared will become a part of the collections of Western Reserve Historical Society. They will help us teach others about our region and how we live as individuals, as institutions, and as a community. Currently, WRHS is collecting stories and materials for three collecting initiatives: COVID19, Activism, and Life in Northeast Ohio.
Please follow this link to review the full WRHS gift agreement.
Want to donate a physical item to the collection? Find out how here.
Ethnic Heritage Collection
We want to hear from you! Share stories and histories of your ethnic heritage with us. We will share select stories over time in our new International Heritage Gallery scheduled to open late Fall 2026.
Activism Collection
Make Your Voice Heard! We invite you to share stories about Black life, culture, and consciousness in this historical moment, as the nation grapples with what the New York Times has described as the “parallel plagues ravaging America: the coronavirus and police killings of black men and women.” As the 50th anniversary of WRHS’s African American Archives Auxiliary approaches in 2021, we are committed to spending more time listening to and learning from our fellow citizens, working to further community awareness of regional history, and sponsoring programs and special events that are consistent with our mission.
Life in Northeast Ohio Collection
Share your stories of day-to-day life with us so that WRHS can preserve your words in order to let future generations know what life was like for the citizens and communities of Northeast Ohio!
