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Archival & Historical Research: Getting Started

An introduction to the Duke University Medical Center Archives resources

Contact Us

Have a question, want to make an appointment, or need help getting started with your research?

Contact Us: (919) 383-2653 dumc.archives@mc.duke.edu

Hours: M-F, 8:30AM - 4:30PM

Street Address: 1408A Christian Ave., Durham, NC 27705 [Directions]


Archives Staff Are Also Available on Campus:

Medical Center Library, Room 103G

Hours: By appointment

Medical Center Archives Website

Medical Center Archives Links

Introduction to the Duke University Medical Center Archives

The Duke University Medical Center Archives collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting the history of the medical center community, from the 1930s to the present. 

This guide provides a brief overview of the Archives, including information about our collections, how to find items, as well as suggestions of other helpful resources.

Our Collections

The Duke University Medical Center Archives is comprised of over 700 collections that contain a variety of materials, including:

How to Find Archival Materials

You can learn more about our collections and the materials they contain by looking at our finding aids. A finding aid is a detailed guide that describes an archival collection and its contents. 

To view our finding aids, visit the Collections Listing page on our website. From the “Collections Listing” page, you can browse the full list. (To quickly find a specific name, we suggest using the Ctrl-F search function in your browser). You can also search by using the “Finding Aid” search function in the grey box at the top of the site or at this page. (This is best if you have a particular topic in mind, such as "polio" or the "Bell Building.")

While most of the materials listed in the finding aids are not currently available online, they are available for use at our facility. Please contact us before your visit so we can ensure that your requested materials will be ready for you to use.

Images from the Medical Center Archives

Medical Center History Links