The United States Flag Flown at Finn Ronne Base, dated 1947 and 1989, contains an American flag that was used at Finn Ronne's base camp at Stonington Island during the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947-1948, and stolen by the British. It also contains correspondence from Kevin Walton, a member of the British expedition, to Brian Shoemaker, a United States naval officer who participated in polar expeditions from 1966-1988 and met Walton at a gathering for polar explorers in 1989, regarding the history of that flag and its return to American ownership. There is also a letter sent by Shoemaker to the Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, after Walton gave him the flag, explaining the provenance of the donation.

The Richard W. Konter Correspondence Sent During Byrd Antarctic Expedition I consists of correspondence sent by Konter to various correspondents while he was in Antarctica from 1929-1930. Konter was a busy correspondent during the expedition, and was known to have sent hundreds of Christmas greetings while he was there, some of which did not arrive until over a year after being sent. The collection also includes a published photo book of images from the expedition. Materials are dated 1929-1930s.

The Charles J.V. Murphy Papers, dated 1926-1937, 1960-1974, and circa 1990s-2012, contains radio scripts, correspondence, meteorological reports, Struggle: The Life and Exploits of Commander Richard E. Byrd, book chapters, press releases, notes, correspondence between Murphy and several family members, and daily journal writings mainly concerning Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, 1933-1935, with some correspondence during Byrd Antarctic Expedition I, 1928-1930 and his North Pole flight. Due to Murphy being Byrd's ghost writer, some original Byrd materials are found in this collection. The latter materials include correspondence and articles regarding Bernt Balchen's claims that Byrd lied about his North Pole flight of 1926, as well as compact discs containing correspondence from Byrd Antarctic Expedition II.

The Walter K. Queen Papers contain correspondence, photographs, records, artifacts, and ephemera created or collected by Walter K. Queen that mostly document his experience during the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II (BAE II). The bulk of the papers consist of correspondence, which includes letters, telegrams, and radiograms sent and received by Queen. Much of the correspondence was to and from Queen's wife and daughters during BAE II as well as to and from Richard E. Byrd during and after BAE II. The photographs were mostly taken during BAE II and are images of Antarctica and the ships used during the expedition. Also included are records and messages to Queen that relate to his role as chief engineer aboard the S.S. Jacob Ruppert during BAE II and the refitting the Bear of Oakland in 1939 for the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. The artifacts include uniform pieces, glass bottles from Byrd expeditions, and two nails taken from the Bear of Oakland. Also included are three pocket Bibles, an address book, and an autograph book owned by Queen during BAE II. Ephemera, programs, and other materials related to events from after BAE II are also included. Materials are dated from 1900-1981, with the bulk of the materials dated from 1933-1939. The materials from after Queen's death were received and collected by the Queen family and relate to Queen's experiences in Antarctica during BAE II.

The Byrd Antarctic Expedition II Collection contains collected materials both from and about Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, some of which date before and after the Expedition. A candlestick from an expedition ship dates from 1884, and the rest of the collection dates from 1928 to 2010, with the bulk of materials dating between 1928 and 1935. The collection includes items such as correspondence from expedition members, artifacts from the United States Ship Bear and the expedition itself, a scrapbook, photocopies of the South Pole Radio News published by the expedition, an account of the trip to rescue Admiral Byrd from Advance Base by a crew member, advertisements by sponsors of the expedition, and postal covers.

The Joe Hill Papers date from 1927 to 1999, with most of the collection dated between 1933 and 1936, and document Hill's time in Antarctica as a member of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, as well as materials gathered following this time related to Antarctica. The papers include a scrapbook documenting Hill's work to join the expedition as well as newspaper clippings about the expedition itself. Approximately 140 glass slides with black and white images of Hill's time in Antarctica are also included, as well as correspondence received by his parents while he was in Antarctica both from and about Hill. Correspondence received by Hill from other members of the expedition is also included in the collection, as well as reunion planning information, clippings about Antarctica, and scienctific reports from Antarctica.

The David Paige Papers, dated 1933-1934, 1938, and circa 2005, contain photocopies of telegrams and other correspondence from 1933-1989, mainly between Admiral Richard E. Byrd and Paige. The majority of the correspondence concerns the access, ownership, and use of motion picture film of Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE II), shot by and housed at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California. Paige assembled a film from the footage of “only shots pertaining to art and artistic subjects” to accompany the lecture tour he was scheduling. The letters exchanged between Paige and Byrd evidence discrepancies between the two men’s understanding and approval of how Paige intended to, and ultimately did, use the footage, and Paige's interpretation of the contract between Byrd and Paramount Pictures. The correspondence includes a letter and accompanying contract sent from Emanuel Cohen, Vice President of Paramount Pictures, to Richard E. Byrd. In later years, the correspondence turns to the topic of Paige's artwork, which was in the possession of Byrd and Byrd's family. It contains a letter sent from Paige to Richard E. Byrd's son, requesting that Paige's artwork be returned to him and not included in the Byrd estate, and correspondence between the law firms representing Paige's and Byrd's estates, respectively, following their deaths, regarding custody of Paige's artwork. The collection also contains an original letter and piece of artwork, dated 1938, sent by Paige to junior high school student Sonia Grekel to reward her with the first place prize of an original pencil drawing of penguins. Also included are letters that Paige sent to Mr. W. Jewel, art critic at The New York Times, during BAE II.

The Charles R. Bentley Papers, dated 1948-2011, contains data sheets, data books, seismograms, aerial photographs, punched cards, microfilm, and magnetic data tapes compiled during his career as a polar scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, the collection contains course documentation, correspondence, maps, publications, minutes, programs, equipment and member lists, forms, proposals and reports gathered from Bentley's interactions with professional organizations, his expeditions, and the courses he taught at University of Wisconsin-Madison. The collection includes national and international meetings files that come from numerous polar and related organizations.

The Raymond Fosdick Papers, dated 1926-1955 and 1979-1983, contain correspondence and American flags sent to Raymond Fosdick by Richard E. Byrd. Byrd had a practice of taking flags on his flights and expeditions then gifting them to friends and benefactors upon his return. Some of the correspondence accompanied the flags and some of the correspondence relates to other topics, such as the Fosdick Mountains. Materials created after Fosdick's death were received or collected by his family and also relate to Byrd and his relationship with Fosdick.

The Walter Giles Correspondence to Ruth Giles While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition contains two letters sent by Giles from Antarctica to his sister, Ruth Giles, dated 1939 and 1940. Giles writes about missing his hometown in Georgia, the weather, activities on base, and plans to visit Georgia once he returns to the United States. One of the envelopes sent to Ruth Giles has a Pitcairn Island cover, cancelled at Pitcairn Island 14 December 1939.

Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition includes a single-page, typed letter dated January 18, 1941 and the envelope it was mailed in. The letter thanks Betty Kerr, a friend of Giles located in Philadelphia, for letters and cards she sent him while he was in Little America, Antarctica. Giles talks about his experiences in Antarctica over the past year, including the cold temperatures and weather, food, entertainment options, and shares his hopes of bringing home a puppy born in Antarctica to his father. He shares a few brief anecdotes about his time there, including a forced plane landing 80 miles away from camp that resulted in a rescue hours later. Giles sends well wishes to friends and family back home, and mentions he is eager to reunite with "Evelyn" in Seattle.

The Mortimer Turner Papers, dated 1945-2004, contains correspondence, maps, an oral history, publications, proposals, reports, photographs, negatives, budgets, oral histories, rosters, forms, lantern slides and a hooded parka that come from his tenure at both the Division of Polar Programs and the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation. The collection also contains a few personal files and files related to other positions that Turner held during his career.