Rare Book Collection Exhibit

The rare books collection includes books believed to be acquired during the 1930s by the small group of individuals who worked for Mr. William Friedman (who is the subject of another exhibit.) The books are not codebooks in themselves, but are texts which elaborate on the science of cryptography. During the 1930s, American cryptology was being reborn after the 1929 closing of Herbert Yardley's Black Chamber in New York City. Those coming into the field learned the business from the ground up, hence the need to study even ancient texts on the subject.

The museum collection contains a second edition of the first book ever published on the subject and a first edition of the second book published in the Western world. As visitors read the labels associated with each volume, they are encouraged to pay particular attention to the parallel text which is designed to place the books in historical context.