Donate Archival Materials

Like our museum collections, our archives and rare book collections interpret the rich history of Mennonites and Lancaster County. We use our collections and exhibitions to tell the stories of the faiths, cultures, and histories of the people who call this area home.

Archival records may be made available to the general public, school groups, researchers, and others, by visiting the Mennonite Life Collections Building during open hours.

Mennonite Life welcomes donations of archival materials that fit the scope of our collections. These may include LMC and Atlantic Coast Conference church records; personal diaries, letters, and other records of personnel and members of LMC and/or ACC congregations; and documents such as broadsides or deeds relating to Anabaptist life in Lancaster County.

If you have artifacts that you would like to donate to our collections, please contact Julia Wiker, Archivist and Librarian and include the following in your email:

• Your name and contact information
• A brief description of the records
• Any information you know about who created the records, who used them, and how they were acquired
• One or two photographs of the records, if applicable

You may also call us at 717-393-9745 to discuss any potential donation.

We carefully consider all potential donations and will determine whether the records will fit into our collections. Due to storage space and other considerations, not all donations may be accepted.

Please note that only donations approved by the Collections Committee will be accepted.