Notable Collections

The Naval Collection focuses on the Meiji through early Shōwa periods, and is especially strong in materials related to the training fleet (renshū kantai 練習艦隊).

The Penn Libraries collects a variety of Japanese rare materials.

The Vilain-Wieck Collection comprises several thousand books produced by fine and private presses, mainly in America, from the nineteenth century up to the present.

The Keffer Collection of Sheet Music contains 2,531 scores ranging in date from ca. 1790 to 1895.

Philadelphia bandleader and composer Francis Johnson (1792-1844), a free African American, achieved extraordinary renown and respect through performances of his band.

The Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection includes nearly three hundred manuscripts and documents ranging in date from ca. 1900BC to the 20th century, with particular focus on the eras of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

The Lorraine Beitler Collection of the Dreyfus Affair comprises over 1,000 items documenting the history of the Dreyfus Affair and its impact on the art, society, and politics of France and the modern world.