The Fred Rogers Archive preserves over 22,000 items from Fred Rogers' personal and professional life. The Archive is essential to the work of the Fred Rogers Institute, and is a source for research into children’s television, early childhood development, and Fred Rogers’ unique role in bridging both fields. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers may request access provisions to study Fred’s life and legacy. Please complete the form below to reach out to our Archivist. Below, you can explore a sampling of the Archive - you're sure to find a treasure!
One of Fred Rogers' famous quotes is, "The child is in me still—and sometimes not so still." Our childhoods—our pasts—are part of us. Fred called himself an "emotional archaeologist" because he was interested in the origins of people's reactions to all types of situations.
Margy Whitmer was the producer of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and worked closely with Fred starting in the early 1980s. In this oral history clip she tells about the public service announcements Fred filmed during difficult times.
Chef Brockett introduces Mister Rogers to two people who perform pantomime. The coach, Tim Scanlon, is deaf. Mister Rogers asks him to recite and mime a poem that most children would know. Mister Rogers wonders how his two new neighbors teach people pantomime, and they demonstrate by making an invisible banana split.
In this segment, Ma explains how he was introduced to music through his sister, a violinist. He was discouraged that he could not play as well as her, but he soon discovered the cello. Mister Rogers asks him if his mood influences the way he plays.
Mister Rogers would sometimes play with masks on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He said that sometimes, when you're uncomfortable or shy, you might feel like putting on a mask. In this photo, Fred is sitting in his office at WQED.
The series of "Thoughts for the Week" offers us insight into Fred Rogers' goals with each week of programs he produced. During this week, Mister Rogers talks about moving quickly versus moving slowly. He points out that people with the same name are still different people.
Mister Rogers and a translator meet Tatiana Vedeneeva, the host of Good Night Little Ones. She shows them the television studio where she films her children's program. Mister Rogers plays the piano and meets the crew. Daniel Tiger even overcomes a bit of shyness to meet one of the puppets.
Itzhak Perlman lets Mister Rogers look carefully at his violin. Mister Rogers asks him to play "Yankee Doodle." Perlman tells how difficult it is to even produce a sound on the violin when you first start playing.
If you have an item you believe belongs in the Fred Rogers Archive, please let us know! The items in the Archive must be directly related to Fred Rogers and his production company. We do not accept self-created items such as creative, journalistic, or research writings, or artwork. We do not purchase items to include in the Archive or sell memorabilia from the Archive.
