Finding Aid
Submit Reference RequestPrintDownload PDF

Reference Request

* required
Please succinctly provide us with any information pertinent to your inquiry. If you are writing to us about a research request, provide as much detail as possible about the collections in which you are interested (including collection numbers, box numbers, and folder titles).
(if known)

The Smithsonian Institution Archives is using Constant Contact, a third-party contact management software vendor, to manage contacts and send eNewsletters. Please be advised that Constant Contact's Privacy Statement and Terms and Conditions apply to your use of these services. The Smithsonian Institution Archives has access to your name and email address which is subject to our privacy statement.

Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 20-126

National Museum of American History. Division of Physical Sciences

Divisional Records, 1866, 1954-1997

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:National Museum of American History. Division of Physical Sciences
Title:Divisional Records
Dates:1866, 1954-1997
Quantity:4 cu. ft. (4 record storage boxes)
Collection:Accession 20-126
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

This accession consists of records created and maintained by Uta C. Merzbach, Associate Curator and Curator, 1964-1988. Merzbach earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mathematics from the University of Texas, Austin in 1952 and 1954 respectively. She then completed her Ph.D. in Mathematics and the History of Science at Harvard University in 1965. Merzbach was the Smithsonian's first curator of mathematical instruments and collected primarily objects made and used in the United States, but also collected objects from outside of the United States. The research and collections of the Division of Physical Sciences principally focused on the history of astronomy, meteorology, chemistry, classical physics, geology, astrophysics, and mathematics. The Division of Mathematics and its predecessors were concerned with the history of mathematical calculating instruments, both domestic and foreign, collecting such artifacts such as planimeters, slide rules, mechanical calculators, digital electronic computers, and astrolabes. These records document Merzbach's collecting activities for the division; her interactions with researchers, museums, corporations, and the general public; her work on mathematics symposia held at the National Museum of American History (NMAH); and her research and publications. Of note are the materials related to Merzbach's work on the cooperative Computer History Project between the American Federation of Information Processing Societies and the Smithsonian Institution. The project started in 1967 and meant to collect and document the people and objects responsible for the development of the computer. Some records date to when the division was previously known as the Section of Physical Sciences and Measurements, the Section of Mathematics and Antique Instruments, the Section of Mathematics, the Division of Mathematics, the Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, and the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences respectively; as well as from when the museum was known as the United States National Museum, the Museum of History and Technology, and the National Museum of History and Technology. Additionally, some records date to before and after Merzbach's time at the Smithsonian. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, acquisition records, transcripts, reports, lecture and presentation records, symposia materials, timelines, publications and writings, bibliographies, images, an audiotape, ephemera, and clippings.

Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of records created and maintained by Uta C. Merzbach, Associate Curator and Curator, 1964-1988. Merzbach earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mathematics from the University of Texas, Austin in 1952 and 1954 respectively. She then completed her Ph.D. in Mathematics and the History of Science at Harvard University in 1965.

Merzbach was the Smithsonian's first curator of mathematical instruments and collected primarily objects made and used in the United States, but also collected objects from outside of the United States. The research and collections of the Division of Physical Sciences principally focused on the history of astronomy, meteorology, chemistry, classical physics, geology, astrophysics, and mathematics. The Division of Mathematics and its predecessors were concerned with the history of mathematical calculating instruments, both domestic and foreign, collecting such artifacts such as planimeters, slide rules, mechanical calculators, digital electronic computers, and astrolabes.

These records document Merzbach's collecting activities for the division; her interactions with researchers, museums, corporations, and the general public; her work on mathematics symposia held at the National Museum of American History (NMAH); and her research and publications. Of note are the materials related to Merzbach's work on the cooperative Computer History Project between the American Federation of Information Processing Societies and the Smithsonian Institution. The project started in 1967 and meant to collect and document the people and objects responsible for the development of the computer.

Some records date to when the division was previously known as the Section of Physical Sciences and Measurements, the Section of Mathematics and Antique Instruments, the Section of Mathematics, the Division of Mathematics, the Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, and the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences respectively; as well as from when the museum was known as the United States National Museum, the Museum of History and Technology, and the National Museum of History and Technology. Additionally, some records date to before and after Merzbach's time at the Smithsonian.

Materials include correspondence, memoranda, picture postcards, acquisition records, transcripts, reports, lecture and presentation records, symposia materials, timelines, publications and writings, bibliographies, images, an audiotape, ephemera, and clippings.

Top of Page

Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 20-126, National Museum of American History. Division of Physical Sciences, Divisional Records

Top of Page

Container List

Box 1

Uta C. Merzbach - Curriculum vitae, 1966, 1977

Box 1 of 4

Professional Accomplishments Evaluation Committee (PAEC), 1974-1981

Box 1 of 4

Report on official trip to Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Albion, Michigan, February 18-26, 1964

Box 1 of 4

National Science Foundation - Grant reviewing, 1984

Box 1 of 4

Images - Uta C. Merzbach, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1980, and 1989

Box 1 of 4

Questions for Uta C. Merzbach, March 22, 1985

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1964

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1965

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1966

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1967

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1968

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1969

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1970

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1971

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1972

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1973

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1974

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1975

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1976

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1977

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1978

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1979

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1980

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1981

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1982

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1983

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1984 (2 folders)

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1985 (2 folders)

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1986

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence, 1991

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence - American Mathematical Society, Gordon L. Walker, 1968

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence - DeWitt, D. Barlow, Jr., 1957-1965

Box 1 of 4

Correspondence - Silvio A. Bedini

Box 1 of 4

Box 2

Correspondence - Henry K. Bradford, Jr., 1973-1984

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Larry Bush, Office of Building Management, 1976-1978

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Vannevar Bush, 1963-1971

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Paul Cerruzzi, 1978-1983

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Dartmouth College Museum, 1964

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Datamation Magazine, 1968

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Division of Education, 1976-1977

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Churchill Eisenhart, 1963-1964

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Cloyd Dake Gull, 1985

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Rudolf Hirsch, 1967

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Grace Murray Hopper, 1967

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Library of Congress, MARC films format, 1982

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Forrest M. Mims, III, 1984-1986

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Pratapaditya Pal, 1968

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Pedro G. Salazar, 1987

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Guenter Schwarz, 1962-1964

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Sperry Univac, 1981-1982

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Nancy Stern, 1975-1978

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - U.S. Patent Office, 1964-1970

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - University of Pennsylvania, The Moore School of Electrical Engineering, 1969

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Vanderbilt University, 1972-1974

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - Victor Comptometer Corporation, 1963-1970

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence and related materials - Whirlwind I computer, 1969

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence - M. U. Zakariya, 1981

Box 2 of 4

Picture postcards, 1961-1981

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - July-December 1973

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - 1974 (2 folders)

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - 1975 (2 folders)

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - February-December 1979

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - January-October 1980

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - February-December 1981

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - 1982

Box 2 of 4

Chronological file - 1984

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence log - October 1967 to December 1968

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence log - February 4, 1969 to December 31, 1969

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence log - January 1969 to June 1970

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence log - FY 1974

Box 2 of 4

Correspondence log - August to December 1976

Box 2 of 4

Box 3

Correspondence - General, 1965-1997 (3 folders)

Box 3 of 4

Golden Lecture Series, Fall 1986 - Robert Harder

Box 3 of 4

Presentation - Crockett Johnson, September 18, 1997

Box 3 of 4

Lectures and talks, 1965

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Summary of Activities, October 1967-December 1968

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - A Review, October 1967 to March 1970

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - General, 1970

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Correspondence, 1969, 1982

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Oral history interviews, 1969, 1975-1978

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Oral history interview - Konrad Zuse, August 1968

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Oral history interview - Mrs. John Hornbostel, former wife of Max Wertheimer, 1968, 1971

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Oral History interview - Benjamin Burack - Transcript, first draft, June 3, 1969

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Oral history interview - Arthur Wild, June 30, 1969

Box 3 of 4

Computer History Project - Computer history timeline

Box 3 of 4

Museum of History and Technology - Departmental organization, 1968

Box 3 of 4

Division of Community Life - General, 1978

Box 3 of 4

Division of Costume and Furnishings - General, 1973-1977

Box 3 of 4

Division of Electricity and Modern Physics - General, 1972-1976

Box 3 of 4

Division of Extractive Industries - General, 1977-1978

Box 3 of 4

Division of Mathematics - General

Box 3 of 4

Division of Mathematics - Annual Reports, FY 1983-FY 1985

Box 3 of 4

Division of Mechanisms - General, 1969-1975

Box 3 of 4

Division of Military History - General, 1970-1977

Box 3 of 4

Division of Naval History - General, 1973

Box 3 of 4

Division of Physical Sciences - General, 1967-1977

Box 3 of 4

Division of Political History - General, 1967-1976

Box 3 of 4

Division of Postal History - General, 1970-1977

Box 3 of 4

Department of Cultural History - General, 1974-1978

Box 3 of 4

Department of Science and Technology - Chairman's Office, 1967-1978

Box 3 of 4

Department of Science and Technology - Office Manual, March 1982

Box 3 of 4

Acquisitions Committee and Collections Committee, 1972-1978

Box 3 of 4

Collections acquisitions and donations, 1967-1986

Box 3 of 4

Collections - Preservation work, 1977-1978

Box 3 of 4

Section of Mathematics - Photograph lists, 1971

Box 3 of 4

Guide to the Mathematical Collections - Uta C. Merzbach, June 1, 1988

Box 3 of 4

Mathematics collections, 1983

Box 3 of 4

Upgrading of Math areas, 1980s

Box 3 of 4

Department of the History of Science and Technology - Collection photographs lists

Box 3 of 4

Cataloging computer documentation, 1978

Box 3 of 4

Raytheon - Characteristics of the Mass Data Handling System, 1954

Box 3 of 4

The Collection: A Historical Perspective

Box 3 of 4

Notes - The Millionaire Calculating Machine, 1968

Box 3 of 4

Collections - Peter Zihaly Ingerman Collection of Documents, 1971

Box 3 of 4

Collections - Teaching machine, B. F. Skinner, 1974-1975, 1985

Box 3 of 4

Collections - Astrolabe - Conservation report, 1976

Box 3 of 4

Collections - Microelectronics, 1983

Box 3 of 4

Collections - Bendix G-15 computer, 1984

Box 3 of 4

Collections - UNIVAC AN/USQ-179 (v), 1984-1985

Box 3 of 4

Collections - IBM tabulating equipment

Box 3 of 4

Deaccession objects, 1983

Box 3 of 4

Bibliography - ENIAC, 1970

Box 3 of 4

History of Science Seminar, 1968-1977

Box 3 of 4

Gauss Symposium, October 14-15, 1977

Box 3 of 4

Third Annual Symposium on the History of Mathematics, NMAH, October 12-14, 1978

Box 3 of 4

Fourth Annual Symposium on the History of Mathematics, NMAH, October 11-13, 1979

Box 3 of 4

Sixth Annual Symposium in the History of Mathematics, NMAH, March 20-21, 1981

Box 3 of 4

Eight Annual Symposium in the History of Mathematics, NMAH, October 14-15, 1983

Box 3 of 4

International Society of the Astrolabe meeting, 1984

Box 3 of 4

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics - Mathematics at the NMAH, April 1986

Box 3 of 4

Eleventh Annual Symposium in the History of Mathematics, NMAH, October 17-18, 1986

Box 3 of 4

National Mathematics Awareness Week, 1986

Box 3 of 4

The Smithsonian Journal of History, Volume I, 1966 - Notes and Queries

Box 3 of 4

Planispheric Astrolabes in the National Museum of American History - Sharon L. Gibbs

Box 3 of 4

Public inquiries - Time measurement, 1973

Box 3 of 4

Box 4

English Back Staff - Eichner drawing, May 10, 1957

Box 4 of 4

Eisenhower Institute for Historical Research, 1975-1977

Box 4 of 4

Erickson Memorial Company - Sundials, 1976

Box 4 of 4

Research - EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer)

Box 4 of 4

Research - International computers

Box 4 of 4

Research - Robert Burnside

Box 4 of 4

Columbia Calculator Program Chart

Box 4 of 4

Science Service - Library - Z Ciphers Bacon, Roger

Box 4 of 4

Virginia Beets - First registrar at NMAH, 2011

Box 4 of 4

"Of Levers and Electrons and Learning and Enlightenment: Technological Augmentation of Cognition in the United States Since 1776," Uta C. Merzbach, 1971

Box 4 of 4

"Early Auditory Studies: Activities in the Psychology Laboratories of American Universities," by Audrey B. Davis and Uta C. Merzbach, 1975

Box 4 of 4

"Georg Schentz and the First Printing Calculator" - Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, No. 36, by Uta C. Merzbach, 1977

Box 4 of 4

Silvia A. Bedini/Abrams/MHT book, 1979

Box 4 of 4

"American Women Mathematicians: The Pre-World War II PhD's" - Lecture by Judy Green and Jeanne LaDuke, March 17, 1980

Box 4 of 4

Women and the American Medical Enterprise

Box 4 of 4

General notes and related materials, 1954-1986 (3 folders)

Box 4 of 4

Dial images from Professor Carl Welty

Box 4 of 4

Color slides - Vatican, France, Italy, Germany, May 1972

Box 4 of 4

Color slides - Fort Worth, Texas and St. Louis, Missouri, November 1973

Box 4 of 4

Color slides - Outdoors

Box 4 of 4

Color slides - General

Box 4 of 4

Transparency - Mathematic calculation

Box 4 of 4

Unlabeled audiotape reel, 1/4 inch audiotape

Box 4 of 4

The First Catalogue of Hope College, 1865-1866

Box 4 of 4

Ephemera, 1982, 1984

Box 4 of 4

Clippings, 1967, 1978

Box 4 of 4

Top of Page