There are libraries of just comic books, collections dedicated to the world of punk music, archives of peace activism artifacts, and innumerable other highly specific topics. These specialized collections serve as a depository for minutia that, assembled together under one roof, enable researchers to see patterns, trace progress, and discover connections which would otherwise be impossible. In today's post, we'll learn a special collection dedicated to the history of microbiology, the Center for the History of Microbiology Archives, or CHOMA, including some of it's most incredible artifacts..
The origins of the Center for the History of Microbiology Archives (CHOMA) date back to 1935, when the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), then known as the Society of American Bacteriologists, recognized the importance of preserving the historical record of a rapidly evolving scientific field. That year, the Society established a Committee on Archives, with responsibility for safeguarding artifacts and documents related to microbiology. In its earliest form, the collection was modest and decentralized, with materials held by the chair of the committee rather than housed in a dedicated facility.
As the field of microbiology expanded and its influence on medicine, public health, and industry grew, so did the volume and significance of its historical materials. By the 1970s, it became clear that a more permanent solution was needed. ASM partnered with the University of Maryland Baltimore County to establish a stable institutional home for the archives, one that could support professional preservation, access, and long-term stewardship. That partnership culminated in the opening of the Center for the History of Microbiology Archives in 1985.
Today, CHOMA houses more than 9,000 volumes related to microbiology, along with a wide-ranging collection of archival materials that capture both the scientific and human dimensions of the discipline. Its holdings include books, research papers, lab notebooks, photographs, slides, motion pictures, manuscripts, correspondence, personal papers, artwork, instructional materials, audio recordings, and obituaries. Together, these resources document not only scientific breakthroughs, but also the everyday work, collaboration, and intellectual debates that shaped them.
Among CHOMA’s most remarkable materials are items that extend beyond microbiology itself and into the broader history of American science and education. The archives include minutes from the meeting at which the University of Virginia’s medical school and vaccine clinic were established, written in Thomas Jefferson’s own hand just a few months before his death in 1826. Such documents place microbiology within a longer continuum of scientific thought and institutional development in the United States.
Equally compelling are the voices preserved in CHOMA’s audio collections. These include recordings of Rosalind Franklin, whose work in X-ray diffraction images was instrumental in revealing the structure of DNA. Hearing Franklin speak in her own words adds a deeply human dimension to a discovery often reduced to diagrams and written narratives.
By preserving materials like these, CHOMA serves as more than a repository of scientific artifacts. It functions as a living record of how microbiology developed, how discoveries were made, and how individuals contributed to a field that continues to shape modern medicine and public health. In order to facilitate access to this incredible resource, CHOMA offers History of Microbiology Research Travel Awards to applicants from around the world.
What artifact is most fascinating to you? Let us know in the comments!