The Paul Hollister papers measure 9.4 linear feet and date from circa 1883 to 2004, with the bulk of the papers from 1947-1996. Biographical material and correspondence both personal and professional are included, in addition to project files documenting various writing, teaching and curatorial projects, as well as ongoing working relationships with various institutions. Also included are topical projects that overlapped with specific research interests, containing a considerable amount of research material. Writings by Paul Hollister include manuscript material spanning the breadth of his professional writing career, from his work as a columnist, to his articles on glass, as well as some works of fiction. Also included is a full manuscript of one of Hollister's books on glass paperweights. The published portion of this content is mirrored in the printed material series. The business records of Paul Hollister contain financial information about his household and collections, as well as his family's estate. Also included are records relating to Paul Hollister's art studio and an inventory of his paintings and other works of art in the form of index cards. Select photographs of Hollister's collection of art objects are included, along with images of Paul and Irene Hollister.

Sam DeVincent loved music and art and began collecting sheet music with lithographs at an early age. Series 8: Geography is divided into three sections: the United States, Foreign Countries, and Natural Features. An overview to the entire DeVincent collection is available here: Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music.

The Department of Anthropology records contain administrative and research materials produced by the department and its members from the time of the Smithsonian Institution's foundation until today.

The J. Horace McFarland Collection includes over 3,100 photographic images of private and public gardens throughout the United States, as well as some from foreign countries, dating from 1899 to 1963. Many of these images, generated for Mount Pleasant Press (later the J. Horace McFarland Company), were used to illustrate trade catalogs published by the firm as well as journal and newspaper articles. The collection also contains color records that were used as reference aids during the printing process, plant patents, and various publications of the McFarland Company.

This collection contains Verville's personal papers. The material relates mainly to his various aeronautical concerns as well as his involvement with military aviation. The collection includes a large number of photos tracing the development of Curtiss aircraft and Naval Aviation, and especially documenting the design, construction, and flights of a replica of the Navy's first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 'Triad', built under Verville's direction by the Bureau of Aeronautics to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of Naval Aviation in 1961. Also included are a large number of blueprints and photos of Verville-designed aircraft, especially those developed by the Verville Aircraft Co. in 1928 - 1931

Collection consists of records documenting one of the oldest advertising agencies created in Philadelphia. The company then moves to New York and expanses to international markets. During its history NW Ayer & Sons acquires a number of other advertising agencies and is eventually purchased. The largest portion of the collection is print advertisements but also includes radio and television. NW Ayer is known for some of the slogans created for major American companies.

This collection is comprised of photographic and manuscript materials, primarily created by Eliot Elisofon to document his travels and work. The images portray many aspects of African life and culture including agriculture, wildlife, archaeology, architecture, art and artisans, children, cityscapes and landscapes, leaders, markets, medicine, recreation, ritual and celebration, and transportation. The manuscript materials include correspondence, essays, clippings, puobligations, notes, research, and itineraries.

The papers document the life and work of William R. Hutton, a civil engineer during the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Materials include diaries, notebooks, correspondence, letterpress copy book, printed materials, publications, specifications, photographs, drawings, and maps that document the construction of several architectural and engineering projects during this period. Most notable are the records containing information related to the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Hudson River Tunnel, the Washington Aqueduct, the Kanawha River Canal, and the Washington/Harlem River Bridge. There are also several records about railroads in the state of Maryland, the District of Columbia and elsewhere, including the Western Maryland Railroad, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Colorado Midlands Railway, Baltimore and Drum Point Railroad, the Northern Adirondack Railroad, and the Pittsfield and Williamstown Railroad. The records can be used to track the progression of these projects, and engineering innovation during the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

The Charlene Hodges Byrd collection measures 43 linear feet, and dates from circa 1750-2009, with the bulk of the material dating from 1880-1960. The collection documents the personal life and professional career of Charlene Hodges Byrd, an African American teacher from Washington, D.C., along with material for several related families from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Family members prominently represented include Sarah A. Shimm, teacher and essayist under the name Faith Lichen; her daughters Erminie F. Shimm and Grace E. Shimm Cummings, both teachers; and Byrd's mother, Joyce Ethel Cummings Hodges, also a teacher. Correspondence and writings chiefly discuss family life, religion, race, education, and the relationship with Frederick Douglass and his family. The collection is arranged in 10 series: Biographical Material, Correspondence, Writings, Subject Files, Financial and Legal Records, Printed Material, Volumes, Memorabilia, Textiles, and Photographs.

This collection consists of approximately 3.28 cubic feet of early periodicals, articles, pamphlets, and other publications relating to various aspects of aviation including kites; balloons; events relating to aviation; personalities involved in aviation; aerial navigation; airships; airplanes; aerial combat; models; and aerial photography. The majority of writings in the collection date to the time period from 1755 through 1919, but there some later pieces dating to the 1920s through the 1960s. Most of the items in the collection are in English, but there are also some writings in French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese.