Archives and Library

Archives

The archives at the Baltimore Museum of Industry collects, preserves, and shares the history of business and industry throughout Baltimore and Maryland. The archives chronicle the achievements of business and technological innovators from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, and include textual documentation, photographs, audiovisual materials, trade literature, architectural drawings, and more.

Our archival and manuscript holdings consist of material representing Maryland industries – from small business to multinational corporations – based in Maryland or with a significant workforce base in the region. This material provides valuable insight into the activities of creating organizations and a broad scope of the local industrial and business community over time. The museum’s non-current institutional records are also part of our collection.

View our full Archival Collections list

Interested in donating to the archive?

Library

Our 5,000-volume library collection represents the convergence of local and industrial histories, with publications examining industrial trends and their impact on the local community. Individual corporate and business histories are also included. Additional series include technical manuals, directories, journals, and periodicals, including back issues of Port of Baltimore and Baltimore Magazine. We also hold the contents of the former research libraries of several major corporations and local institutions, including BGE, American Rolling Mill Company (ARMCO), Rustless Iron and Steel Corporation, and the Mount Vernon Museum of Incandescent Lighting. For enhanced research and exploration of additional sources, numerous vertical files contain non-archival supporting documentation arranged by subject. However, please note that library materials do not circulate. Our Library Catalog is available online.

Library Catalog
 

Reference Services

Interested in visiting the museum to conduct some research? Onsite research is by appointment only. Check out our research schedule and fees for more details.

Research Schedule & Fees

Or contact us with questions:
Maggi Marzolf,  Archives Manager . . . archives@thebmi.org . . . 410.727.4808 x112

BRF Logo colorIn addition, BMI is the official repository for archives and artifacts from the Bendix Radio Foundation, preserving the history of the Bendix Radio division and Bendix/Allied Signal Communication Division. To visit the online database for the Bendix Radio collection, click here.

Sign Up for BMI Email Updates!

Thank you - you have successfully subscribed!