Established in 1823, the New Hampshire Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization that aims to preserve and disseminate the history of the State of New Hampshire. Although a self-supporting institute, the Society provides service to the public by collecting, preserving, and interpreting materials relating to New Hampshire?s history. The Society also holds educational and outreach programs that affect the lives of children and adults from practically every community all throughout the state.

The vast collections of historical artifacts that the Society takes care of were gathered to form the largest and most comprehensive museum and library in New Hampshire, that contains about 30,000 museum pieces that illustrates the lives of the state?s early settlers, 50,000 printed works of prominent historical figures, 1.5 million pages of historical documents that support each important event that took place in the past, 800,000 pages of newspapers that made every New Hampshire household informed about current events, 200,000 photographic images, and 10,000 broadsides and ephemera items. All these manifest the state?s economic, political, social, and cultural history that can?t be found anywhere else. These and among other collections are housed in a 1911 library designed by Guy Lowell and a museum that is contained in a renovated commercial edifice that was built in the mid-19th century. These two facilities, together with the Eagle Stable, a brick building next to the museum that is used as office rental space, are the three properties that the Society owns.

The Society?s museum holds a permanent exhibit called ?New Hampshire Through Many Eyes?, a favorite among its thousands of local and international visitors. Aside from this, there are also travelling exhibits that feature a selection of topics. While in the library, some of the museum pieces such as furniture, paintings, the original eagle from the New Hampshire State House, and Revolutionary War flags are displayed. There are also temporary exhibits that were housed in the library as well as travelling exhibits that the Society organizes.

The Society also engages in publication and circulates a semi-annual journal
called ?Historical New Hampshire? and a quarterly newsletter that informs the public, specially its members, about the events and activities in the Society. The Society also publishes special exhibition catalogs, gallery brochures, and school activity guides. These print materials benefit not just the members of the Society that pay membership dues, but also the locals who may want to learn about their past. Because of its noble deed, the American Association for State and Local History has awarded the Society?s publications.

Governed by a Board of Trustees composed of 19 members, with 13 full-time employees and 25 part-time staff, and with help from 80 volunteers, the New Hampshire Historical Society is among the members of New England Regional Fellowship Consortium, which offers grants for projects that draw on the collections and resources of the collaborating organizations and is accredited by the American Association of Museums.