Catholic University Special Collections

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Special Collections at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. We collect, preserve, and make accessible the records of the American Catholic people, CatholicU, and the campus Rare Books and Museum. Open to all!

Paper box with a pencil resting on top of it. A red-colored note on the box reads, "Ask an Archivist! (Will post answers)."
Photo of the front entrance of the American Red Cross headquarters, showing a neo-classical structure with white columns and Red Cross logo over its entrance.
George Conn. De duplici statu religionis apud Scotos libri duo, Rome, 1628, 176 pages, Rare Books, Special Collections, Cathoilic University, purchased 2025.
Headshot of Msgr. John Wippel, showing him in his priestly collar, ca. 2010.
A fourth-century B.C. Falican vase, showing figures from ancient mythology, likely from the story of Heracles.
Large statue of Pope Leo XIII seated, giving a blessing, ca. 1900. Gifted to Catholic University in 1895, it has resided in McMahon Hall ever since.
Architectural drawing of the proposed Mullen Library, ca. 1925.
Angled image of the Mullen Library's cornerstone, inscribed with the "A.D. 1925".
Washington Post article which shows photos of Patrick Cardinal Hayes in procession at the cornerstone laying ceremony for Mullen Library, April 22, 1925.
Video shows three book carts filled with miniature books, with over 2000 books recently donated.
Freshman beanie, ca. 1950s, positioned in front of a banner promoting the Catholic University Special Collections. These beanies were worn by first-year students as a hazing ritual on the campus from the 1920s-1960s.
Bee Movie promotional material, 2007. Pictured in front of a box from the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Office of Film and Broadcasting records - a film review branch of the USCCB.
Cesar Chavez at a press conference in 1970, standing before an array of microphones. Monsignor George G. Higgins stands to his left while Bishop Joseph Donnelly is seated on his right.
A photo of four individual standing before archival stacks. One of them is holding an original copy of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) constitution. The photo is surrounded by text that reads, "Catholic University Archives - National Council of Catholic Women 95th." The photo was taken during a site visit for the 95th anniversary of the NCCW founding.
Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493 from the Catholic University Rare Books incunabula collection. The book is open to its center, with a printed woodcut image of the city of Nuremberg. The picture is hand colored.
Cover of the Frank Baum's "The Laughing Dragon of Oz". Shows the titular dragon and a young girl in a red dress (the character Rosine in the book). Text on the cover mentions the title, author, and the branding of "The Big Little Book".
Black-and-white comic book panel showing four boys sitting around a table with a pie in the middle. One of the boys is carving up the pie into four equal slices while one eats a piece. The caption reads, "What time is it when a pie is divided between four hungry boys. Answer: A quarter to one." From Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact, February 27, 1964.
A color comic book panel showing two boys fighting over a pie, resting on a windowsill. The boys are each tugging on the pie and yelling insults at one another. From the Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact comic book, December 12, 1962.
Recently donated museum objects. There are three items provided to Catholic University staff returning to campus in fall 2020. Pictured are a blue pouch labeled with "Be the Light", a COVID-19 informational card, and red face mask.
Fr. Email Kapaun wearing a military uniform and hard helmet is smiling to the camera, holding a smoking pipe with a bullet hole in it. This is a black-and-white photo, 1940s and courtesy of the Diocese of Wichita.
A group of students are gathered around a professor (Dr. Jennifer Davis) as she shows them a medieval Book of Hours. The Book of Hours is an illuminated manuscript.
Architectural drawing of a the John K. Mullen of Denver front facade, proposed by Murphy & Olmsted's architectural firm in the 1920s. Image shoes a three-story library, with large narrow windows.
Exhibit poster reads, "The Heart of Scholarship: 100 Years of Mullen Library, Spring 2025, Mullen Library, May Gallery". The poster includes a photograph from the 1930s, showing students lined up at the Library's circulation desk.
A young woman poses in a formal portrait, looking off to the left side. She is in a flowery dress. A handwritten note below the photo reads "Justine Bayard Ward, 1902 or 3".
A black-and-white photo shows an unidentified young man in mid-air, performing a dive into a pool. Photo was taken in the indoor gymnasium pool on the Catholic University campus in 1949.