Camp Upton Historical Collection

The Camp Upton Historical Collection is Brookhaven National Laboratory's curated historical collection of artifacts, documents, photographs, uniforms, and memorabilia that preserve the history of Camp Upton, the U.S. Army installation that occupied the site before Brookhaven Lab was established in 1947. The collection is maintained as part of the Laboratory's Cultural Resource Management Program under the National Historic Preservation Act.

The collection includes materials such as:

• Military uniforms and equipment from World War I and World War II
• Photographs of Camp Upton's construction, soldiers, and daily life
• Books, letters, and some personal documents
• Artifacts and memorabilia, including insignia, personal items, and gear

The Camp Upton Historical Collection is not a repository for Army records from Camp Upton. If you are researching a family member or loved one who may have passed through Camp Upton during World War I or World War II, you can visit the National Archives which maintains all historic U.S. Army records.

Why it's important

The collection helps preserve the history of a site that served the nation in multiple roles:

• 1917–1920: A World War I training camp where tens of thousands of soldiers prepared for deployment to Europe.
• 1940–1946: Reactivated for World War II as an induction and training center, later becoming a convalescent and rehabilitation hospital for wounded veterans.
• 1947 onward: Converted into Brookhaven National Laboratory, shifting the site's mission from military service to scientific research.

The Camp Upton Historical Collection is not a permanent public museum. Items are occasionally exhibited at Brookhaven during public events, and artifacts are sometimes loaned to local museums and historical societies for temporary exhibitions. For anyone interested in Long Island history, military history, or BNL's origins, the Camp Upton Historical Collection provides a unique record of how one site evolved from a wartime training camp into one of the world's leading scientific research laboratories. For inquiries about the Camp Upton Historical Collection, contact Cultural Resources Manager Allison McGovern.