Established in 1871, CHS collects, preserves, publishes, and exhibits materials on the history of California and the West. Its collections contain paintings, photographs, costumes, archival material, and a library of inestimable value and historic significance. CHS has entered into a collectionsharing agreement with the Autry that will allow the strengths of each to be used productively and effectively to further the collective benefit of both in serving the people of California. The collection will remain under the Autry’s purview for a period of one hundred years, during which time the Autry will be responsible for longterm conservation, curatorial activities, publications, exhibitions, educational programs, storage, and loan requests by other institutions. “Museums in the twentyfirst century are being challenged to get their greatest art and artifacts out of storage and into public view,” said Stephen Becker, former executive director of CHS. Our mission is to inspire and empower Californians to make the past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives. The current CHS headquarters accommodate the administrative offices, North Baker Research Library, exhibition galleries, and museum store.

Telephone: 415.357.1848
Fax: 415.357.1850
Website: http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/