Cushing Memorial Library and Archives 25th Anniversary

The Cushing Memorial Library and Archives exhibition galleries are open Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm.

On October 28, 2023, Cushing Memorial Library and Archives will open “25 Years of Collecting,” an exhibition marking the 25th anniversary of Cushing Library as Texas A&M’s special collections and archives home.

The collection strengths and interests of Cushing are Military History, Science Fiction, Western Americana, Seventeenth Century English Poetry, Colonial Mexicana, Africana Studies, and the history of rare book printing to name just a few. An example of one of our largest collections is the Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection which contains books and periodicals in the genre including the manuscripts of authors such as George R. R. Martin.

Since its inception in 1970, the Friends of the Texas A&M University Libraries has been integral in the acquisition, conservation and preservation of rare and special materials for Cushing Library. The Friends of the Texas A&M University Libraries is proud to have played a part in the conservation of the WWI service flag which was found during the renovation of the Academic Building and the Corregidor Muster flag. The Friends provided funds to restore the Desert Traders artwork in 2018 as well as the restoration of rare photographs in an album by Briquet, Waite, and Cox & Carmichael (1896-1902). This rare collection of original photographs offers a glimpse into everyday life at the turn of 20th century Mexico. This album captures everyday moments such as a street scene in Mexico, a pottery market, a summer house in Mexico, a group of women and children, and a colored photograph of a peasant among many other photos. This album connects to Cushing collections related to Borderlands, photographic history, women’s and gender studies, and internationalism.