Plan a Visit

Browse through our most frequently asked questions as you plan your visit to Archives and Special Collections. If we didn't answer you question, contact us!

We are located on level four of the Mansfield Library on the campus of the University of Montana at Missoula (also known as the Mountain Campus). View a map of campus.

We're open to everyone, including the general public. View our current hours.

We have published and unpublished materials which help to document the people and history of Montana and the University of Montana. Formats include diaries, letters, photographs, business records, maps, books, newspapers, architectural drawings, oral histories, and more. Learn more about our collections.

Many people use the materials from Archives and Special Collections for school projects, scholarly research, business and legal research, genealogical research, and personal interest.

For the protection of the materials, food and beverages are not allowed in Archives and Special Collections. Bags, coats, and most other personal belongings cannot be brought to the research tables. Photo ID will be required to view some materials and collections. Pencils and paper as well as laptops or tablets are allowed for note-taking, and you may use your own digital camera to photograph most collection materials. Pens and personal scanners are not allowed. No original materials from Archives and Special Collections can be checked out of the library. Use copies (that can be checked out) exist for some collections, including oral histories, and some materials have been digitized for online access.

No appointment is necessary. You may contact us in advance of your visit to discuss your research with an archivist or to have items retrieved and ready for you when you arrive. View our current hours.

Archives and Special Collections staff is present at the reference desk in the Archives and Special Collections reading room during all of our open hours. Please feel free to call, email, or drop by with any questions.

Yes. For information about reproductions of collection material, including photographs, please see the Photocopies and Image Reproductions portion of our services page.
For information about citations, please visit the citations page.

Yes! To bring your class to Archives and Special Collections, or to discuss the integration of our resources in your class or course, please contact the Head of Archives and Special Collections, Donna McCrea. Donna may be reached at 406-243-4403 and via email at donna.mccrea@umontana.edu.

Guides to over 700 of our archival collections are available via the Archives West website. Over 5,000 of our photographs have been digitized and are online via the Archives Photo Collection website. A variety of maps from Montana and the region are available online via the Montana Memory Project website. Several diaries, books and other manuscripts have been digitized and are available on the Digital Collections page. We are working to add new ways to discover materials, so check back often.