The Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing at Penn Nursing is one of the largest repositories for primary source materials and rare books about the history of nursing in the world. The Center was founded in 1985 with the priority to increase knowledge about the history of nursing and healthcare and to use historical knowledge in crafting effective health policies and patient care strategies. The Bates Center holds an extensive collection totaling nearly 3,000 linear feet of materials from 19th to 21st century hospital-based nursing schools, visiting nurse societies, personal papers of nursing leaders, and documents from student nurses. The Center also serves as home to substantial special collections of over 3,000 rare books, glass slides, photographs, audio tapes, films, and a small amount of artifact holdings.
Contact
Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Suite 2U, Claire M. Fagin Hall
418 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4217
215-898-4502
nhistory@nursing.upenn.edu
Unique at Penn 