Samuel Eliot Morison Memorial Library
The Samuel Eliot Morison Memorial Library holds a collection of research materials related to the history of USS Constitution. The 2,400-volume library focuses on the history of USS Constitution, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, general maritime history, and local and federal period history. The library also houses over 800 rolls of microfilm containing primary source material from the National Archives, Library of Congress, and manuscript repositories across the country.
The reading room is open to the public by appointment, and welcomes researchers of all ages and levels of interest. Materials from the museum’s archival collection may be viewed in the reading room upon request.
Researchers are also welcome to submit reference inquiries using the form below. Curatorial staff will provide up to 15 minutes of research free of charge. Fees will apply for requests in excess of 15 minutes at a rate of $10 per 15 minutes.
Ask a Research Question
Submit Your Research Inquiry
Additional Resources:
Plan Your Research Visit
Researchers visiting the Samuel Eliot Morison Memorial Library Reading Room are expected to adhere to all guidelines and restrictions imposed by the Museum.
- All researchers must complete a user registration form and present photo identification before accessing materials.
- All materials must be used in the Reading Room. Reference materials located in the Reading Room may be retrieved by patrons, however, the Library and Archives are closed stacks and all materials are non-circulating. Unsupervised use of the collections is not allowed.
- Researchers may bring laptops, phones, digital cameras, loose leaf paper, and pencils. Bags, notebooks, and pens are not permitted. Lockers and a coat closet are available to store bags, purses, coats, and other personal items.
- Food and drink are not permitted in the Reading Room.
- Curatorial staff will photocopy and scan materials upon request, for a fee, if in accordance with donor agreements and copyright restrictions. Reproduction of fragile materials in the Museum’s collections is at the discretion of the Curatorial Department. The Museum reserves the right to refuse any request.
- Unprocessed collections will not be made available to researchers. The Museum’s Curatorial Department may restrict access to certain materials or collections if objects are in fragile condition, contain sensitive personal information, or are otherwise restricted by the Museum, by donor agreements, or by the object’s creator.
Schedule a Visit
READING ROOM HOURS
The Reading Room is open by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Access to and use of some materials in the collection may be subject to additional restrictions under United States Copyright Law. Users of reproductions produced by the Museum assume full responsibility for satisfying the requirements of copyright law, and for obtaining all permissions necessary for publication. When copyright is not held by the USS Constitution Museum, Museum staff will provide as much information as is available to aid the researcher in locating the copyright holder; however, the Museum cannot obtain permission on behalf of the researcher.
