Library & Archives

Sophie Frye Bass Library

Sophie Frye Bass

The museum’s Sophie Frye Bass Library preserves and provides access to over 3 million historic photographs, as well as manuscripts and archival holdings, maps, books, posters, motion pictures and printed ephemera.  Our collections cover the Seattle metropolitan area, and certain subjects of the rest of Washington State and Alaska. Archival holdings include business and organization records, personal papers, photographers’ collections, and historical research documents.

The library is open to the public by appointment four afternoons per week (Mondays-Thursdays from 1-5pm). Appointments can be made by phoning 206-324-1126, or e-mail library@seattlehistory.org. Professional staff members offer reference services by telephone, e-mail, and in person to a wide range of patrons. The library also supports the museum’s collecting, exhibits and education programs.

Two affiliate organizations, the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society and the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, maintain their collections in the library and provide access by appointment.