Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums

The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums is one of the largest private collections of historic manuscripts and documents in the world. It was founded in 1983 by California real estate magnates David Karpeles and Marsha Karpeles, with the goal of stimulating interest in learning, especially in children, and to make the collection more accessible, was distributed among many Karpeles museums across the US, each located in a historic building, plus "mini-museums" in schools and office buildings. Items are rotated between museums quarterly. Many museum locations have been permanently closed and buildings sold. The remaining museums are located in Duluth, Minnesota until the building sells and in St. Augustine, Florida, in a brand new and updated space. In addition, Karpeles is aggressively expanding the content of its website. All of the Karpeles Manuscript Library services are free. The museums are located in small and midsize cities, although the Karpeles family put on an exhibit in Central Park West in New York City in 1991. As of June 2023, there are ten museums.

David Karpeles died on January 19, 2022. As of February 2026, his family announced they will be consolidating the collection at the St. Augustine, Florida location, and selling off the buildings hosting the collection in other states.