One of the most complete collections of Wright material in the world.
The Wright Brothers Collection housed in Special Collections and Archives in the Wright State University Libraries is one of the most complete collections of Wright material in the world.
The collection consists of more than 6,000 items and includes the Wrights’ own technical and personal library, family papers—including letters, diaries, financial records, genealogical files—and other documents detailing the lives and work of Wilbur and Orville Wright and the Wright Family. Perhaps the most striking part of the collection are the thousands of photographs documenting the invention of the airplane and the lives of the Wright Family.
The reading room primarily serves researchers, but visitors can view materials on display in the reading room that help tell the story of the family behind the first powered flight and get their “Wilbear” and passport stamps.
Special Collections and Archives also preserves the broader history of aviation in the Miami Valley, including the history of early airplane manufacturing, aerospace medicine, and human factors engineering. The archive holds collections such as the Kettering Family Papers, the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Photograph, the Dr. Stanley C. White Papers, the WACO Aircraft Company Photographic Collection, the Dr. Malcolm L. Ritchie Collection, and more.
Researchers are encouraged to make an appointment two or more business days prior to their visit.
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