the brooklyn historical society

What the brooklyn historical society does

The Brooklyn Historical Society, now operating as the Center for Brooklyn History (CBH), is a nonprofit public history institution established in 1863 and headquartered in a national historic landmark building at 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn. Following its merger with Brooklyn Public Library, CBH functions as BPL's research library and public history arm, preserving Brooklyn's history through extensive collections including books, photographs, oral histories, maps, and special archives housed primarily in the Othmer Library and Reading Room. Its core products include rotating exhibitions, the Brooklynology blog, education programs for K-12 students and educators, public programs and events, and private event rentals at the landmark building.

CBH has expanded its mandate well beyond traditional historical society scope to include specialized community services: Justice Initiatives for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated patrons and their families; Community Health Services offering social work, NARCAN kits, and health resources; Inclusive Services for children and teens with and without disabilities; and Services for Older Adults featuring lectures, films, creative aging workshops, technology assistance, and books by mail. The business model is fully nonprofit and free-to-public: all exhibitions, research access, and programs are offered at no charge to visitors, with operations funded through government aid (notably from the New York State Education Department), private foundation grants (Charles H. Revson Foundation, New York Foundation for Eldercare), individual donations, and venue rental income.

Technology infrastructure consists of a standard web-based digital platform hosted via the Brooklyn Public Library website (bklynlibrary.org), with online collections search, digital exhibitions, research guides, and virtual program access. There is no proprietary technology, mobile application, or API disclosed, and no AI/ML capabilities are described. Distribution operates through the single physical Pierrepont Street location combined with BPL's 60+ branch library network across Brooklyn, supported by social media channels, email newsletters, and the Brooklynology content publication.

Name

the brooklyn historical society

Legal name

Brooklyn Public Library

Website

https://brooklynhistory.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Center for Brooklyn History (formerly Brooklyn Historical Society), established in 1863, preserves Brooklyn's history through archives, exhibitions, research access, and education programs as the research library division of Brooklyn Public Library, serving Brooklyn residents, students, researchers, and targeted community populations with all services free to the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Society and Public History Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (519210), Historical Sites (712120), Libraries and Archives (51921)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• Historical archive services
• Public history exhibits
• Genealogy research
• Educational programming
• Community cultural programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Center for Brooklyn History preserves and presents Brooklyn's history through the Othmer Library and Reading Room, which houses special collections and archives, and through rotating exhibitions, education programs, public programs, and the Brooklynology blog. The institution makes collections available to researchers and the public free of charge, including books, photographs, oral histories, maps, and primary source materials. The historic Pierrepont Street building is also available for private event rentals.

Product overview

The Center for Brooklyn History (CBH) is Brooklyn Public Library's unified research library and public history institution that preserves and presents Brooklyn's history. The core offering consists of the CBH itself, the Othmer Library and Reading Room for special collections and archives, extensive collections and archives (books, photographs, oral histories, maps), education programs, the Brooklynology blog, public programs and events, rotating exhibitions, and private event rentals. CBH also offers specialized community-focused services including Community Health services, Inclusive Services for children and teens with disabilities, Justice Initiatives for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, and Services for Older Adults. All CBH services are free and open to the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Center for Brooklyn History (CBH)
• Othmer Library and Reading Room Located on CBH's second floor, home to special collections and archives for public use. Researchers are encouraged to make appointments in advance.
• Collections and Archives Makes collections available to all researchers including books, photographs, oral histories, maps, and more.
• Education Programs Connects students, educators, and archivists in New York City and beyond to unique collections, programs, and events that bring the history of Brooklyn to life.
• Brooklynology Blog and Photo of the Week Fascinating Brooklyn stories from local history archivists, featuring popular Photo of the Week posts.
• Public Programs and Events Wide range of free weekly programs to delight and engage audiences, both virtual and in person.
• Exhibitions Features rotating exhibitions including The Battle of Brooklyn: Fought and Remembered, People Making Power: Politics in Brooklyn, and Centering Collections: Recent Work at CBH.
• Private Event Rentals CBH is available for private events, offering a national historic landmark featuring timeless architectural details and state-of-the-art modern facilities.
• Community Health Services Focuses on the health and well-being of all Brooklynites by providing programs, services and resource collections including social work services, NARCAN kits, and health resources.
• Inclusive Services Provides unique programs for children and teens with and without disabilities, fostering an inclusive environment with adaptive toys, equipment, and sensory-friendly spaces.
• Justice Initiatives Works to support incarcerated and formerly incarcerated patrons and their families through jail and prison services, TeleStory video conferencing, and reentry services.
• Services for Older Adults Inclusive programming and services tailored to patrons over age 55, including lectures, films, performances, creative aging workshops, technology assistance, and books by mail.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brooklyn Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Center for Brooklyn History is a joint initiative between Brooklyn Public Library and Brooklyn Historical Society. The CBH serves as Brooklyn Public Library's nationally recognized research library and public history institution, combining BPL's library resources with the historical society's collections and expertise.
• Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRAPP Campaign is a grassroots advocacy organization that collaborates with BPL for Justice Initiatives programming including documentary screenings and panel discussions at library locations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New-York Historical Society: NYC's oldest museum and historical society, operating a research library, special collections, exhibitions, and education programs for city/regional history. Directly comparable mission, programming mix, and public-facing archival model.
• Museum of the City of New York: Manhattan-based museum focused on NYC history through exhibitions, collections, and education. Comparable curatorial mission, audience (city residents, researchers, students), and reliance on grants/donations.
• Brooklyn Museum: Brooklyn's flagship art and cultural institution offering exhibitions, education programs, and special collections in a national landmark building. Strongly comparable Brooklyn-focused programming, venue-based programming, and educational outreach.
• Tenement Museum: Lower East Side museum preserving and interpreting immigrant and NYC history through site-based tours and exhibits. Comparable historical-preservation mission, educator audience, and tour/program-driven engagement model.
• New York Transit Museum: Brooklyn-based museum focused on NYC transit history, operating exhibits, education programs, and archival collections from a landmark Brooklyn venue. Comparable Brooklyn location, education programming, and special-collections orientation.
• Weeksville Heritage Center: Brooklyn-based heritage institution preserving an African American historic settlement through archives, exhibitions, and education. Comparable Brooklyn-focused history mission and small nonprofit scale.

Broad incumbents

• New York Public Library: NYC's largest public library system with extensive research collections (including Schwarzman Building) and branch network. Comparable library/archives mission and free public access model, but operates at much larger scale across Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island.
• Queens Public Library: One of NYC's three public library systems, offering similar library services, local history collections, and public programming. Comparable nonprofit library model and funding mix; CBH is structurally aligned as a BPL division.

Regional players

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-based historical society with archives, library, exhibitions, and education programs focused on Pennsylvania history. Comparable historical-society model with special collections and researcher services, but serves a different geography.
• Massachusetts Historical Society: Boston-based historical society and research library holding national-significance collections, with programs and exhibitions. Comparable old, nationally recognized historical society with archives/research mission in a different region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brooklynhistory
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCg7fVH7Lrmx5c-65WJKAuYg
• Facebookfacebook.com/brooklynhistory
• Instagraminstagram.com/brooklynhistory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brooklyn-historical-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about the brooklyn historical society