ABSTRACT
The central mission of historical societies, to collect and preserve the records of the past, has remained consistent over the course of the last two centuries, but the scope and the functions associated with these original objectives have changed markedly. This entry will look at some of the major historical developments that shaped the goals of historical societies, while highlighting some of the institutional transformations among historical societies that resulted from new ways of thinking about the collection, preservation, and dissemination of historical records.
