K-12 Educational Resources

The State Historical Society of Missouri offers a wide range of learning opportunities for students and educators in K-12. From welcoming students and teachers to our research centers to sharing digital resources from our collections to helping students put their own stamp on history through the National History Day in Missouri program, we are excited to be part of K-12 history education!

  • Historic Missourians

    Historic Missourians was created by the State Historical Society of Missouri to assist students of all ages in their study of Missouri history and notable people who influenced the Show-Me State! Historic Missourians provides a biographical entry on each Missourian for which the State Historical Society of Missouri has images and primary resources. These historic biographies will add to students' knowledge of the state and the remarkable people who contributed to its history.

  • Missouri Encyclopedia

    The online Missouri Encyclopedia, a project of the State Historical Society of Missouri, provides users easy access to authoritative information on the history and culture of Missouri. As an online resource, the Missouri Encyclopedia is available to users throughout Missouri and far beyond the state’s borders.

  • Missouri Timeline

    Visitors can follow a river of time that flows through thousands of years of Missouri history. Illustrated by St. Louis-based artist Dan Zettwoch and stretching 80 feet, the timeline highlights the triumphs and tragedies of Missouri history. Missouri’s state symbols and fun references to Missouri’s culture and folklore are scattered along the timeline. Visit to see what you find hidden in the illustrations.

  • Research Guides

    Get started researching Missouri’s cultural, political, and genealogical heritage. Organized by topic, the guides listed below will help you find resources focused on a specific subject. In addition to helping you investigate a topic with links to newspapers, photographs, letters, diaries, publications, oral histories, and other reference resources, each guide includes a brief history of the subject and its ties to the Show-Me State.

  • Digital Collections

    The State Historical Society of Missouri Digital Collections provide online access to photographs, art, maps, diaries, letters, newspapers, books, articles, and oral histories telling the story of Missouri’s history, people, and culture.

    Please note that historical materials are products of their time, and some of these materials may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes. The State Historical Society of Missouri does not endorse any views expressed in these collections.

  • Using Digital and Material Collections in Your Classroom

    Are you interested in using the State Historical Society of Missouri's primary and secondary sources in your classroom? In this free video, watch as Kathleen Seale, SHSMO senior archivist, explores how to access the digital and material collections available through SHSMO and discover tips for finding effective resources within these vast collections–without having to travel.

  • Request a Tour

    The State Historical Society of Missouri welcomes a visit from your class or group. SHSMO staff members are available to provide tours and presentations on collections and resources for research at each of our six statewide centers. In Columbia, we can provide tours of the Center for Missouri Studies building, art gallery, and event spaces for rental.

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