Collections

In 1949, when San Juan National Historic Site was designated a part of the National Park Service, library and museum programs were established too. Since then, the programs has been documenting current and past events related to the fortifications of San Juan, and is actively assisting in telling the 500+ years of history in San Juan.

The San Juan National Historic Site Library contains over 3,400 books and pamphlets that relate to the site.

The San Juan National Historic Site Archival Collection contains over 351,000 documents, photographs, oral histories, slides, and maps related to topics ranging from the Spanish-American War to the founding of the park, as well as the current activities of the park.

San Juan National Historic Site's Cultural History Collection, including historic collections, photographs, art, and archaeological artifacts, contains over 280,000 objects that tell the stories of Fort Brooke, daily life of the Spanish soldier, and defense strategies through the years as a fortification.

At this time, no Natural History Collection exists.

Small permanent exhibits can be found throughout the park at Castillo San Cristóbal and at Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro). These exhibits highlight the armaments in El Morro and the Spanish presence in Puerto Rico in San Cristóbal.

Interested in researching with this collection? Visit our Research Page for more information.