National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum
Research Center and Archives

Members are welcome to come in and read the many periodicals and other publications to which we subscribe. Click here for a list of our subscriptions.

Scholars, students, and the public are welcomed and encouraged to use the center. The center is strictly a research center and does not lend materials. A reading/study area is provided for public use. Various catalogs, finding aids, and the assistance of the staff enable researchers to locate pertinent materials.

Operating Hours

Research Center is open
February - November; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,
10 AM to 11:30 AM; 1 PM to 3:00 PM
Closed most major holidays.

Research Requests

Please note that all research requests pertaining to personal use must be in writing and accompanied by a $35 research fee for non-members or $25 for Graystone Society members. With our small staff, the Museum can only reply to written request for information, mailed, emailed, or faxed to the Center (see below). We will not respond to phone requests. Due to the volume of requests received, please allow up to 4 weeks to complete your request as they are processed in a first-come, first-served order. Rush orders can be arranged for a fee of $75.

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Commercial Clients

A commercial client is a company, person or persons who will be using images from the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum in any and all printed pieces, CDs or DVDs, films or documentaries, online use, or in any project where Museum images or objects will be used for anything other than personal interest.

Reproduction and Usage Fees

• The purchase or rental of graphic images from the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum does not imply the right to reproduce. Written permission must be obtained from the Museum Director.
• All commercial and exhibit use (including print or electronic) will be negotiable, based on circulation, press run, and/or viewers.
• Professional photographers wishing to photograph or videotape inside the Historic District should first contact the Museum Director.
• The minimum research fee for commercial clients is $50 for non-members and $40 for members. Additional research time will be billed at a negotiable hourly rate.

For further information, please contact the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum at (610) 384-9282 between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM; Monday through Friday. Fax: (610) 384-3396; e-mail:admin@lukensnhd.org; or the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum, 76 South First Avenue, Coatesville PA 19320.

Photography

The National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum is pleased to offer photographic reproductions of the people, process, and products in its collection. Subjects include naval vessels, ocean liners, submarines, steam and diesel locomotives, buildings, bridges, tanks, oil rigs, dams, trucks, cranes, and various construction and manufacturing equipment.

Also available from the Museum's collection are images of the Museum's collection, including not only artifacts, but also maps, colorful charts, and other images from the rare book and manuscript collections. Photographic reproductions may take the form of black-and-white copies, color copies, black-and-white prints, selected color prints, 35mm slides, or JPG on digital disk for an additional $10. A small sample of some of these exciting images may be viewed on this site.

Images and text may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of The National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum, 76 South First Avenue, Coatesville PA 19320.

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Research Center and Archive Procedures

Because of the rarity of the collection, materials do not circulate ad books are not available through inter-library loan. The stacks are closed to the public, but staff members will readily assist visitor with their requests. Photocopies of materials are available for a fee, and in-house photographic services are available. Extensive research can be arranged through the librarian.

The Center has special rules for visiting researchers. Those that a visitor might want to know about before visiting are:

1. An appointment must be made to use the Archives and the Center. Contact the Research Center at (610) 384-9282 to arrange your visit.
2. Researchers must sign in and out of the Visitors Log.
3. The use of pens is prohibited.
4. Special care must be taken in handling all records. Records may not be leaned on, written on, folded, traced from, or handled in any way likely to damage them. Records should be kept in the same order in which they are presented. Microfilm or copies of records will be used when available.
5. Eating, drinking, and smoking are not permitted in the Research Center.
6. Personal copiers and camera phones are prohibited. Personal computers, typewriters, and tape recorders are permitted, so long as they do not disturb others. Permission is required for using cameras to photograph documents.
7. The use of scanners will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Researchers using scanners will be required to sign a copy of the Research Center's policy on scanning and digitization indicating that they have read and understand the conditions under which this privilege is granted.
8. Research materials can be self-photocopied.
9. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure compliance with copyright requirements before publishing material held by the Research Center or lengthy quotations from such material. Contact the Museum Director for more information on copyrights.
10. All notes, photocopies, and purses must be presented to the receptionist for inspection before the researcher leaves.

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