Preservation

Album of Paxton Turner Carter, killed aboard the USS Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941.

NPS photo.

Donating to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial: Preserving the Pacific War Legacy

The Pearl Harbor National Memorial relies on contributions from citizens like you to preserve and tell the story of the Pacific War. By donating family heirlooms, memorabilia, photographs, diaries, and other significant items, you help us share the personal stories and historical context of this pivotal period. To ensure a smooth donation process, please read our Donor Information Packet, which outlines the steps involved and how to contact the park curator.

Our museum collections contain a variety of objects, specimens, archives, and library materials. These include photographs, paintings, drawings, diaries, letters, newsletters, historic books, and memorabilia—any item that fits within the organizational Scope of Collections Statement (coming soon) and the park's needs. We are particularly interested in acquiring items that enhance our understanding of Pearl Harbor and the broader Pacific War. See our list on this page.

Museum collections serve four essential functions:

1. Public Programs
   Collections are used to provide information to the public through exhibits, publications, and interpretative programs. Modern technology also allows for electronic access through websites and online databases, expanding the reach of these resources.

2. Documentation of Resources
   Museum collections document the physical and historical resources of the park, helping preserve the efforts of the park and its mission.

3. Physical Preservation and Protection
   Collections help preserve and protect valuable historical items, ensuring that both the objects and the knowledge about them remain intact for future generations.

4. Research
   Collections are an important resource for research, helping the park catalog items and share new insights. These collections are available to researchers, which can lead to new discoveries and a deeper understanding of the park’s significance.

As part of the National Park Service, the Pearl Harbor National Memorial is committed to preserving history for the education and inspiration of future generations. Learn more about the history of the National Park Service.

Items of Interest for the Museum Collection

Many visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor National Memorial ask what types of materials our museum collects. Others inquire if we are interested in specific items they own or are willing to acquire on our behalf. Below is a list of artifact themes and backgrounds that the National Park Service actively seeks for its collection.

If you are interested in donating any of the items listed below, please contact the Curatorial Division at [e-mail] and review the Donor Information Packet. While we are interested in a variety of materials, these are areas of particular interest. Please consult our Scope of Collections Statement (coming soon) for a more comprehensive understanding of our museum's needs.

1. Women’s Military Service (WAVE, WAAC, WAC, SPAR, ROTC, and Marine Corps Women Reserve)
   We seek oral or written histories, period photographs, diaries, personal accounts, letters, and collectibles that reflect the experiences of women in these military roles.

2. Civic and Fraternal Organizations (Varsity Victory Volunteers, Red Cross, USO, YWCA, and the HI Chamber of Commerce)
   Archival materials, documents, photographs, diaries, speeches, and other ephemera from civic and fraternal organizations active between 1940-1945, especially those that helped prepare or provision Hawaii for the war.

3. Plantation Civil Defense, Police, and Medical Units
   Materials related to the Plantation Civil Defense, Plantation Police, or Plantation Medical Units, including photographs, oral histories, publications, and accounts created from 1940-1946.

4. Witness Art
   Art created by witnesses of the events from 1941-1952 in the Pacific Theater or during the Japanese Occupation. We are interested in sketches, paintings, and crafts that capture these personal experiences.

5. Volunteer Defense Force and Civilian Militia Units
   We are expanding our collection of oral histories and artifacts from participants in Volunteer Defense Forces or Civilian Militia Units across the Hawaiian Islands.

6. Unit, Base, Air Wing, Battalion, and Ship Newsletters
   Newsletters from military units in the Pacific Theater that offer insight into daily life during the war. Please see our online examples and the list of known newsletters (coming soon).

7. Pacific Island Materials (Atka, Attu, Canton, Kiska, Johnston, Midway, and Wake Islands)
   Photographs, diaries, letters, and memorabilia from 1940-1945 related to these islands, with a special emphasis on oral and written histories.

8. Army Air Force
   Oral histories, written experiences, period photographs, diaries, letters, and collectibles from the Army Air Forcein Alaska or the Eastern Pacific that provide insights into the Pacific War.

9. Aleutian Campaign
   Materials related to military personnel and civilians in the Aleutians from 1941-1945, including photographs, diaries, letters, and memorabilia.

10. Library Books on the Pacific War
    Firsthand accounts and historical books on the Pacific War published between 1942-1980 are highly desired. We also collect cruise books from ships that served in the Pacific War. Please note, we do not require additional copies of At Dawn We Slept, as we already have four. For details on our current holdings, please contact the museum curator's office.

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Please Be Aware

We are selective in accepting donated materials, particularly if we already have representative examples in our collection. Items that fall outside our Scope of Collections Statement may be declined. Our priority is to maintain a high standard of care for the artifacts in our collection, which requires careful consideration due to limited resources. We recommend reviewing the types of items we collect before donating.

For instance, while we would be very interested in acquiring a uniform worn by General MacArthur, we may not be interested in a generic uniform unless it has a compelling story, such as being worn by a servicemember awarded the Silver Star for gallantry. Similarly, a SPAR uniform is of particular interest as we do not currently have one in our collection, and it represents a rare and significant story.

If an item does not fit our collection needs, we will recommend alternative museums, archives, or libraries that may have an interest in the materials. To learn more about our collection guidelines, please visit our online museum collection, the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument Significance Statement, Scope of Collections Statement, and Library Catalog (coming soon).