American Heritage Center

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American Heritage Center Discover History at the American Heritage Center, the University of Wyoming's archives, and rare books library.

10/23/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who donated during Giving Day 2026. With your help, we raised $47,678 in online donations!

Big news! Giving Day has been extended until 1 p.m. today, and a couple new matches have been added! The Final Big Match...
10/22/2026

Big news! Giving Day has been extended until 1 p.m. today, and a couple new matches have been added!

The Final Big Match for $150,000 launched at 10:00 a.m., and a new $50,000 Final Final Match will launch at noon. Both matches are dollar-for-dollar matches up to $1,000.

We've already surpassed our main and UPHS subcampaign goals, and we still have a donor match up to $20,000 running for our Film Scanner fundraising. This means that if you haven't donated yet, there's no better time than now to see your gift multiplied! And if you've already donated this Giving Day, thank you for your support of everything we do!

This just in: thanks to the generosity of two AHC supporters, we are thrilled to announce that we have a matching opport...
10/21/2026

This just in: thanks to the generosity of two AHC supporters, we are thrilled to announce that we have a matching opportunity for the AHC's Campaign to purchase a new film scanner!

One generous donor has already put forward $5,000. In cooperation with another supporter, they are, together, committing a further $15,000 for matching donations—a combined impact of $20,000!

Don't miss this opportunity to see your own contribution multiplied!

It's Giving Day!! Make your gift any time between now and noon tomorrow and help the AHC reach our goal of $25,000 towar...
10/21/2026

It's Giving Day!! Make your gift any time between now and noon tomorrow and help the AHC reach our goal of $25,000 toward establishing a fund for a film scanner and our digitization lab👇

10/20/2026

From the Yellowstone National Park collection: "Old Faithful Speaks," the first sound recording ever taken of Yellowstone!

Help the AHC continue our mission to preserve films like this one by donating to our Film Scanner fund this Giving Day. Gifting runs noon–noon October 21–22! 👇

In 1958, a young woman won $25,000 on CBS' Name That Tune, forever changing her family's fortunes. They had always wante...
10/13/2026

In 1958, a young woman won $25,000 on CBS' Name That Tune, forever changing her family's fortunes. They had always wanted a recording of the taping, but the footage remained elusive for more than 30 years. That is, until AHC staff located the recording in our collections and digitized it, fulfilling a generations-long dream.

In gratitude, the family donated $25,000 to the AHC with the hope that the gift would help create similar experiences for other patrons.

It may be surprising to learn that the AHC does not have a film scanner. When patrons request digital copies of film holdings, our staff must send the films to special digitization vendors—a process that is time consuming, potentially damaging to the materials, and costly for patrons.

Giving Day at the University of Wyoming returns October 21–22, and this year, we're asking you to help make film digitization accessible to all. Our goal: match the family's initial gift of $25,000.

Your donation will help establish a fund that will enable the AHC to purchase a film scanner of our own, as well as support the AHC’s Digitization Lab, allowing us to continue preserving films like the ones we've been sharing over the last few weeks. Any amount helps, whether it's $5 or $500! 👇

10/08/2026

During geologist Roald Fryxell's tenure with NASA examining rocks and soil samples brought back by the Apollo missions, he also collected spaceflight films. These films capture spacewalks, lunar landings, and the day-to-day antics of astronauts en route to the moon.

10/06/2026

Another gem from the Gale McGee papers: this conversation between McGee and JFK (then a senator for Massachusetts) on land and water policy.

10/03/2026

Remember leaded gas? The Ethyl Corporation, founded by the chemists who originally created leaded gasoline, was a savvy producer of short promotional films.

In "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," struggling farmer Angus is confronted by an apparition of himself who explains how a tractor engine can be used to do farm work more efficiently. Of course, Angus' tractor would need a high-compression upgrade—an upgrade that, conveniently, would benefit greatly from the anti-knocking qualities of Ethyl gas.

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2111 E. Willett Drive
Laramie, WY
82071

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

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