Collections · How to Research
Researching at the Filson — practical detail.
Hours, fees, what to bring, the rules of the reading rooms, photocopy and photography policy, and how to cite Filson material in print. Read straight through, or jump to the section you need.
Researching at the Filson
Walk in, sign in, get to work.
Reserve a reading-room seat ↗Or call (502) 635-5083. Seating is limited and first-come, first-serve.
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 AM–4:30 PM. Materials are not pulled after 4 PM. The Filson is closed to the public the third Friday of every month.
- Fees: Free for members and students. $10/day for non-members.
- Museum collections require advance contact — due to special handling and space constraints, museum items normally cannot be made available on demand. Email research@filsonhistorical.com or call (502) 635-5083.
- On arrival:Check in at the front desk in the Wood Carriage House and complete the laptop visitor form — this streamlines your check-in at the reference desk. Bring photo ID; staff make a photocopy for internal use when you view rare/special collections.
- Call slips: Researchers complete a registration form and call slip in the Collections Department to request material. You can download & print the form in advance (PDF) ↗ and bring it with you.
- Closed stacks: Most material is in closed stacks; staff pull and bring it to the appropriate reading room (Library or Special Collections). No material may leave the reading room.
- Lockers are free: Bring pencils, loose paper, laptops/tablets, and cameras. Leave bags, binders, jackets, hats, food, and drink in the locker. What-to-bring checklist (PDF) ↗
- Sign out at the front desk before leaving the building.
- Visiting from out of town? Lodging close to the Filson (PDF) ↗
Researching from home
Submit a question, get a real answer.
Submit a research request →Email research@filsonhistorical.com for direct correspondence. The research account is monitored multiple times a day on business days.
Use the Filson’s research tools to learn more about our holdings: online catalog ↗, digital collections ↗, and the collections overview.
Remote research pricing
- First 30 minutes of staff research: free.
- Up to 2 additional hours can be conducted; PDF scans included.
- Members: $35/hour. E-members and Filson For All members get the first hour free.
- Non-members: $50/hour.
Considering a research push? Filson membership → pays for itself fast on hourly research alone.
Need high-resolution image reproductions for publication or licensing? Visit Order Reproductions ↗ or email images@filsonhistorical.com.
Family history & genealogy
Tracing a Kentucky or Ohio Valley family.
Genealogy is one of the most common reasons researchers come to the Filson. The collections are particularly strong for families that lived in Kentucky or the Ohio Valley between the late 1700s and the mid-1900s — family papers and correspondence, business and probate records, photographs, county histories and atlases, and a substantial Kentucky biographical and surname file.
Start with the manuscript database (keyword: surname, county, or place name) and the library catalog. Pre-1865 enslaved family research benefits especially from the African American History Initiative collections. For Jewish family research in the region, the Jewish Collections newspapers (the YMHA Chronicler 1913–1930 and Community1971–2020) are fully searchable.
If you don’t know where to start, ask.A reference librarian will spend the first thirty minutes free helping you locate exactly which Filson holdings are likely to advance your tree — in person or via the remote-research request form. The Filson is not a substitute for FamilySearch, Ancestry, or the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, but it is often where the regional record beyond vital statistics actually lives.
Handling materials
Three rules of the reading room.
- Handle carefully. Manuscripts and books must not be written on, folded, traced over, or handled in any way that may cause damage. Researchers working with photographs may be asked to wear gloves.
- Keep the order.Don’t shuffle or rearrange manuscripts and photographs. If you think something is out of order, flag it to staff.
- Keep materials flat.Don’t lean on them or hold them in your hands to read. Ask for a magnifying glass or extra lighting if you need it.
Copies & digital photography
Take pictures. Make copies. Just ask first.
Flatbed scanners are not permitted in the reading rooms.
Special Collections reading room
- Complete and sign a photocopy/digital photography request form.
- Digital photography is free for research use. Staff provide a Filson identification strip to include in each shot.
- Photocopies: $0.25 per page (letter/legal), $0.50 oversized. Filson staff make all copies; ready end-of-visit or mailed later. Orders over 100 pages may incur an additional staff-time fee.
- All copies and digital images remain in the researcher’s exclusive possession, for research purposes only. Speak to a staff member for permission to share or post online.
Library reading room
- Digital photography is free.
- Photocopies and microfilm prints: $0.25 per page (letter/legal), $0.50 oversized. Patrons may make their own copies.
Copyright is the researcher’s responsibility.The Filson does not provide copyright assurances for material to which it does not hold the copyright. The U.S. Copyright Act (Title 17, U.S.C.) governs reproductions; researchers using a copy beyond “fair use” may be liable for infringement.
Citing Filson material
Three citation formats.
Proper bibliographic and footnote credit is required. The format depends on which collection the material lives in.
Manuscript collections
Specific cite of material as appropriate, collection title as appropriate, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY.
Photographs & prints
Object ID number, collection title, date if known, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY.
Example: 987PC52X.01, Enid Bland Yandell Photograph Collection, 1894, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY.
Museum collections
Object ID number, title as appropriate, creator if known, date if known, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY.
Need high-resolution reproductions for publication? Order Reproductions ↗.