620 W. Bleeker St.
(Behind the Wheeler/Stallard Museum)
Aspen, CO 81611
Monday - Friday
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., appointments required
Closed major holidays
archiveaspen.org
archives@aspenhistory.org
970.925.3721
Situated behind the Wheeler/Stallard Museum, the Archives Building is home to the collections processing facility and a storage vault that houses a portion of the physical collection. The Community Gallery and administrative offices are also located in the Archives Building.
Research assistance and access to the physical Archives is available by appointment, email archives@aspenhistory.org or call 970.925.3721.
Complimentary guided tours of the Archives are offered monthly.
AHS operates one of the largest public archives on the Western Slope featuring images, historical papers, maps, and priceless artifacts from every era of the area’s history that are preserved according to archival best practices for the benefit of the community. From maps of 1800s mining claims to ledgers, oral histories, moving pictures, the entire Aspen Times newspaper archive since 1881, tens of thousands of historical images, over 7,900 three dimensional objects, and more. the AHS Archives is a treasure trove that grows each year, as do the number of archival consultations.
The public is invited to use the archives as a resource, for researching anything from genealogy to birth certificates to land use records. Research assistance and access to the physical Archives is available by appointment, email archives@aspenhistory.org or call 970.925.3721.
Explore the archives online! Featuring the majority of the AHS Collection, the online archives is updated in real-time and searchable by keyword. Photo files are available for purchase as prints or for commercial use on a fee basis.
The Community Gallery is a multi-use space located on the first floor of the Archives Building featuring rotating displays that highlight artifacts from the AHS Collection.
Currently on display in the Community Gallery, a curated selection of historical images from the newly accession Aspen Illustrated News Collection offers viewers a photojournalistic history of life in the area in the late 1960s. Launched as an alternative to The Aspen Times, the Aspen Illustrated News was published weekly from December 18, 1964 through February 1970. The newspaper was owned and published by Harold Pabst (of the Pabst Blue Ribbon family) and, according to the inaugural issue, the paper was “…dedicated to bringing, both in words and pictures, news of interest to Aspen and Pitkin County. Aspen and Pitkin County are growing at a pace which virtually guarantees that we will have more problems, not less. This calls for more community action, cooperation, and solid information.” The photo-heavy publication featured images taken by staff and freelancers, including prolific photographer David Hiser, who provided a vibrant view of the 1960s as they documented life in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. The Aspen Illustrated News Collection was donated by the Pabst family and includes hard copies of the issues as well as more than 5,500 images taken by various photographers for the paper.
This replica carriage house was built in 1977. A major renovation was completed in 2017, funded by the AHS Campaign, which raised $1 million in capital expenses for the critical renovation project. Thanks to the collective generosity of many, the Archive Building now features community space for exhibitions, educational programming, and events; a 35% increase in collection storage capacity; a state-of-the-art climate control system and advanced hazard-protection system to safeguard our collection; and additional space for offices. The renovation allowed AHS to best protect the Collection, display more artifacts, and host additional and larger educational programs and lectures.
