Photographic Collection

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CHF’s photographic collection documents the people, places, processes, and historic moments in the recent history of the chemical and molecular sciences. The collection covers the 20th century.

Portraits
The centerpiece of the collection is the Williams Haynes Portrait Collection of nearly 1,000 formal portraits of important chemists from the early 1900s.

Snapshots and personal photos
The informal snapshots and personal photos in our collection capture notable scientists at work and play, such as the polymer chemists Wallace Carothers and Carl Marvel on a fishing trip and the wedding photos of chemical engineer Donald Othmer and his wife.

Scenes from research and industry
CHF holds numerous laboratory photos, as well as manufacturing photos and other images from chemical industry. Subjects include fixed nitrogen research, aeronautics materials research, nylon production, dye manufacturing, and vanadium mining. Photos of scientific instruments are also included.

Historic events and group photos
The collection includes important historical moments and gatherings captured on film, from meetings of the American Chemical Society to the Gordon Research Conferences.

And more....
View a selection of photographs from the collection in our searchable database. Or contact us at archivist@chemheritage.org to find out more about our photographic collection.

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