Welcome to the
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

Founded in 1983 by David and Marsha Karpeles with the purpose to inspire curiosity and encourage learning, the Karpeles Manuscript Library archives contain more than a million historical documents in the categories of literature, science, religion, political history, exploration, music and art.

To make the collection more accessible to the general public, all Karpeles museums are free to visit, and the collection rotates between its museums three times per year.

A handwritten manuscript showcasing notes on a proclamation attributed to you Abraham Lincoln dated April 27 1861 authorizes the Secretary of State to append the U.S. Seal to a proclamation instituting a blockade of Virginia and North Carolina ports. Learn More About This Document

Featured
Exhibits

This document titled Apollo Translunar Transearth Trajectory Plotting pertains to the Apollo 13 mission outlining key dates from April 10 to April 16. It illustrates the Moons position at launch on April 11 reaching apogee on April 14 with a lunar landing slated for April 16. A problem occurring 200 000 miles from Earth on April 13 1970 is noted in the document. Signed by Fred Haise
Apollo 11
Documents from the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the moon.
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A document titled Undertaking Given by Certain German Emissaries to the Allied High Commands outlines an agreement by German representatives.
WW II
The Surrender Agreement of Germany ending World War II in Europe.
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Arthur Conan Doyle - The Prisoners Defense - handwritten
The Prisoner’s Defense by A.C. Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle’s handwritten excerpts.
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Collection Highlights

Karpeles Manuscript Library archives include gems such as:
The “Taxation Without Representation” complaint by Benjamin Franklin
Political History
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The original manuscript of the sheet music for The Wedding March
Music
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Einstein's famous E=MC2 formula
Science
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The original manuscript of Roget's Thesaurus
Literature
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The first printing of the Ten Commandments from The Gutenberg Bible (ca. 1455)
Religion
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Amelia Earhart's Certificate of Landing for her solo flight across the Atlantic
Exploration
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Donald Duck Drawing Guide by Disney
Art
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