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 quotes Margaret McFarland in this column about a week of Neighborhood programs dealing with fantasy and reality. Fred had a rationale for everything he presented on television, and he wrote columns to help parents and caregivers understand his reasons and motives for each week of Neighborhood programs.
Johnny Costa provided the piano music for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He was the music director until his death in 1996. He and Fred were great friends and bonded over their music practice.
Andre Watts plays the first piece of music he learned on the piano. Watts describes how playing the piano when he is sad helps him to feel better, physically and mentally. Mister Rogers wonders if Watts ever made mistakes while he was learning.
Mister Rogers is standing in Negri's Music Shop, studying music notes written on the chalkboard. He is in the studio section of the Shop where visitors would come for music lessons or to perform for Mister Rogers.
The first time Mister Rogers sang this song, he was remembering a time when he was angry with a friend. His negative emotion scared him and he needed to talk about it with a caring adult. This song acknowledges that fear is closely entwined with anger.
Wynton Marsalis is just as excited to meet Mister Rogers as Fred is to hear his music. Marsalis is a young musician who has already achieved fame. Mister Rogers asks Marsalis for advice for young children who want to learn to play the trumpet.
Going to school may be a child's first great transition in life. Because school is something that impacts all children, Fred Rogers devoted a week of Neighborhood episodes to the topic. This packet of materials was sent out to PBS stations to publicize the week of programs.
This clip of Daniel Tiger and Lady Aberlin is from "Making Mistakes" week. Inspired by events that happened earlier in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Daniel is thinking about mistakes. He wonders if he is a mistake because he is tame and lives in a clock, unlike any other tigers he knows.
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.
