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!
Fred Rogers composed all of the music for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He studied music composition at Rollins College and continued to write for the rest of his life. For Fred, the piano represented more than work; it was therapy and a means for him to play and explore.
Fred Rogers studied many languages throughout his life, including French, Spanish, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and American Sign Language. He presented these languages in different ways throughout the Neighborhood series.
These materials tell about the special guests and Neighborhood of Make-Believe storyline from the Neighborhood week on "Fun and Games." Fred Rogers' message seems to be that joining a team and learning a game can be difficult, but persistence and a desire to play can lead to much joy in a sport.
"Thoughts for the Week" allow us to read why Fred Rogers presented certain topics on the Neighborhood, and how he tried to help children understand those themes. These thoughts are about fantasy and reality, wishing and hoping.
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.
Brockett's Bakery is hosting a group of musicians who sing in Spanish. Rather than just sitting and listening, Mister Rogers joins in on the fun. He learns about and experiments with an instrument that mimics the sound of rain.
Children may become anxious and stressed when they are faced with winning and losing. Thus, Fred Rogers devoted a week of the Neighborhood to "Games." Children need reassurance that they will always be loved, no matter the outcome of the game they are playing.
Mister Rogers first sang this song in 1972 in an episode when he talked about history in general—and then his own history. This song might be particularly helpful for children who are dealing with a new baby in the family, or for children who are feeling like they are not big enough or old enough to do certain things.
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.
