American Heritage Center American Heritage Center The American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming houses manuscripts, rare books and university archives. With over 95,000 cubic feet of documents and artifacts across 5,000 collections, the AHC is one of the nation’s largest non-governmental archives. We are dedicated to making history and cultural heritage accessible to the UW community and the public. Explore the Collections Search Finding Aids Digital Archives Main Page American Heritage Center Home About the AHC AHC Virtual Resource Hub AHC Zoom Consultations Collections News Copyright Information Education & Outreach Exhibits Giving to the AHC Grants and Fellowships Remote Research and Discovery Research Services Simpson Institute The AHC Toppan Rare Books Library University Archives Previous Featured Collections AHC Chat Bot AHC Events About the AHC Annual Reports Faculty and Staff Board of Advisors Copyright Information AHC Virtual Resource Hub AHC Zoom Consultations Popular Research Topics Discover Our Collections Collections by Subject Area Digital Collections Anaconda Geological Documents Copyright Takedown Request 2025 News Copyright Information Education and Outreach Instructional Support Programs Exhibits Grants Alan K. Simpson Fellowship George A. Rentschler Fellowship Majewski Research Fellowship Peter K. Simpson Fellowship Women in Public Life Fellowship Travel Grants Teaching and Research Grants Undergraduate Research Awards Graduate Student Research Awards Remote Research and Discovery Research Publication Form Products of Research Citing Archival Materials Digitization Services Digitization Request Form Confirmation How to Use the Archive Visitor Information Digitization Requests Reproduction Request Form Research Request Form How to Visit Simpson Simpson Family Oral History Program The AHC Toppan Rare Book Collections Faculty and Students Offices, Departments, and Colleges Records Management Records Transfer Guidelines Retention Schedules UW Alumni & Friends Previous Featured Collections AHC Chat Bot AHC Events Using the American Heritage Center Starting a research project—or even knowing where to begin—can sometimes be the most difficult step. The good news is that research just happens to be our area of expertise! A great way to get started is to browse our collection overview to see finding aids, topics by subject, and popular research topics. You can also stop by in-person or set up Zoom consultation with our team. Located on the 4th floor of the AHC, the AHC Reading Room is where you'll be viewing collection materials that have been ordered up from the archives. The Reading Room is open to UW students, staff, faculty and the general public during normal operating hours. If there are AHC materials you would like to peruse and you are unable to visit us in person, fill out the Digital and Photographic Reproduction Request Form to get digital scans of your requested research material sent right to you! The American Heritage Center is open to the public Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. We follow the University of Wyoming Academic Calendar for all holidays and closures. See more vistor information. Western art. Oral histories of the Union Pacific Railroad. Lectures. Movie screenings. There's a lot to see at the AHC! Current Exhibits — Curated with material from the AHC's 3,500+ collections Virtual Exhibits — Dive into history from the comfort of your couch Events — Everything that's happening at the AHC A central part of the AHC's mission is to make make our holdings accessible to all. We work with educators (both K-21 and university), community groups, and student organizations to provide instructional resources and opportunities to engage with collections. Our staff offer bibliographic and research classes and can assist with academic unit development. We also offer tours of the archives! Instructional Resources Schedule a Visit Featured Collection: Buffalo Bill Collection The Buffalo Bill Collection, 1844-1954, focuses primarily on the operations of "Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show" from 1884 to 1916. It contains correspondence, legal documents, ticket receipts, train schedules, playbills and photographs related to the various aspects of daily operation and promotion of the wild west show both in the United States and abroad. Additionally there is printed material advertising both William Cody and his wild west show, as well as booklets written after his death in 1917 which examine his life and the impact he had on the American west. Explore the Buffalo Bill Collection on Luna Finding Aid on Archives West Past featured collections A Look Inside the Archives AHC is #AlwaysArchiving, and this continued work means there is always something new to learn and explore at the archives! Our dedicated staff is constantly processing new collections, preserving historical materials and developing engaging resources for researchers, students and the public. Whether it's through exhibitions, digital projects or hands-on research, the AHC ensures that the rich stories of the past remain accessible for future generations. Check out our collections From The West to Comic Books—So Many Collections to Explore! Select a collecting Area Architectural & Civil Engineering Use our notable resources to learn more about significant architects, city planners and engineers from Wyoming and the entire nation. Explore This Collection Our Business collection chronicles economic development and business leadership that has been crucial to cultural and community development. Dive deep into topics including livestock and energy industries. Explore This Collection Explore the history of this industry that has and continues to have an immense cultural impact. Notably, this collection contains the “Stan Lee Papers” from longtime Marvel Comics publisher, and AHC friend, Stan Lee. Explore This Collection This archive collection focuses on areas of conservation, ecology, land use, water resources and wildlife. There are documents of both local and national significance. Explore This Collection Utilize our original materials to learn more about the culture, traditions, experiences and insights of Native Americans and Indigenous People throughout American history. Explore This Collection The impact of the entertainment and performing arts industry on American culture has been absolutely massive. Use this collection to examine this impact over the course of history through producers, directors, actors, musicians and scriptwriters. Explore This Collection The American Heritage Center Military History collection uses first-hand accounts and resources to document the military service of a wide variety of Wyomingites spanning centuries. Explore This Collection Sports and recreation play an integral and unique part in American culture. Let this collection show you how those sports, particularly Western-centric sports like rodeo and hunting, have developed and evolved over time. Explore This Collection Check out our full list of subject areas to help you narrow down your research and dive into the content that excites you! See Full Subject Areas List Architectural & Civil Engineering Select a collecting Area A Historic University of Wyoming Legacy Over a century ago, Grace Raymond Hebard—a UW faculty, administrator, librarian and Wyoming historian—began collecting the papers and stories of Wyoming’s pioneers. Her research on Wyoming history, the West, emigrant trails and Native Americans laid the foundation for what is now the American Heritage Center. Established in 1945, the AHC grew significantly over the following decades, acquiring nearly 70,000 cubic feet of historically significant documents and artifacts. Today, the AHC stands as one of the largest non-governmental archives in the nation. Who We Are Stay In The Know! The American Heritage Center is always growing! We are constantly gathering and archiving new materials to expand our collections. Our exhibits change often and there is always something new to learn. Who knew history could be so fast-paced? Keep up to date and don’t miss any of our exceptional exhibits by following us on , our blog and subscribing to our monthly newsletter American Heritage Center University of Wyoming Centennial Complex 2111 E. Willett Dr. (Street Address) Laramie, WY 82071 Email: ahcref@uwyo.edu Phone: (307) 766-3756 Discover history on the AHC's blog Click here for mailing information The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.