Collections

Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site possesses a rich and varied collection of artifacts and archival materials. Fine arts, decorative arts, furnishings, books, textiles and clothing, toys, tools, Asian art and artifacts, and more are found in the museum collections.

Highlights from the museum collections are featured as the curator's Object of the Month and in Show and Tell videos.

The archives hold the papers and photographs of four families associated with the site - Wadsworth, Longfellow, Appleton, and Dana - as well as photographs, plans, and records relating to the management of the house as a museum since 1913. These are arranged and described in 27 collections. The museum and archival collections complement each other, giving the collections depth and exceptional research value.

Explore the Museum Collection

Fine Art

Paintings, drawings, and sculpture by artists including Bierstadt, Healy, Johnson, Bartolini, and Longfellow family members.
Decorative Arts & Furnishings

The tastes of the Longfellow family ranged from Rococo Revival bookcases to Bohemian glass vases to Arts and Crafts pottery.
Historic Library

Approximately 11,000 volumes of literature, history, art, and more, owned by the Longfellow family, dating from the 15th to 20th century.
Domestic Items

Everyday items of life: dresses, waistcoats, shoes, toys and games, garden tools, and traveling trunks.
Asian Art & Artifacts

Art and artifacts collected in Japan & China.
Historical and Cultural Collections

Roughly 300 architectural items and over 22,000 artifacts resulting from test digs and formal archeological excavations.