The Archives collects, organizes, and preserves BNYDC’s corporate records and assets, as well as material relating to the Yard’s history. The Archives makes this material accessible and provides research support to those interested in evaluating the impact of Yard activities on the social, cultural, and economic development of Brooklyn.
The bulk of the Archives’ holdings consists of architectural plans dating between the 1910s and 1966. There is also a modest collection of material related to the history and development of the Yard, artifacts salvaged from the Yard, and personal papers donated by individuals or families of Yard workers. Our digital library contains more than 10,000 photographs, architectural plans, artifacts, and ephemera related to the history of the Yard, as well as the full run of the Yard’s newspaper, the Shipworker.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard serves as a colorful backdrop to Jennifer Egan’s historical novel Manhattan Beach. Egan worked with archivists at the Yard and interviewed former female ship workers as she was writing.
The BNYDC Archives is committed to providing open access to its holdings within the limits of privacy and confidentiality. Although many collections are open for use, some material is subject to access restrictions. While the Archives will be closed until further notice, we are able to answer research inquiries remotely.
The Archives provides copies of the material in its collections to facilitate construction projects in the Yard, private study, scholarship, and research. We welcome you to use materials in our collections that are in the public domain and to make fair use of copyrighted materials as defined by copyright law. In order to furnish a Use Copy, users must complete and submit a Reproduction Request Form. Please e-mail the Archives for information about obtaining reproductions.
A guide which describes special collections that are not under the care of the BNYDC Archives, but are relevant to the history of the Yard:
A list of primary and secondary sources that provide an understanding of the history of the Yard:
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