The Harrison H. Richardson Papers, which dates from 1939-1949 and 2003, with the majority of the collection dating from 1939-1949, contains 16mm film documenting the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition (1939-1941) and Operation Highjump (1946-1947), and other materials such as three log books, memos, photographs, negative strips, and publications. In 2003, the Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program (BPRCAP) received a grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation to preserve two films documenting the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition in this collection. The film is believed to be some of the first color footage shot in Antarctica. The grant-produced material in this collection includes use copies in the form of VHS, Betacam and DVDs, and preservation film copies.

The Robert W. Gerdel Papers, dating 1925-1986, contains 35mm slides, photographs, artifacts, logs, publications, dissertation and reports about Gerdel's research in crop and cold regions science. The collection documents Gerdel's work in and observations of cold region bases and environments in the northern hemisphere including Greenland, Canada, Alaska, the KFS (Keweenaw Field Station) in Michigan, the New York University wind tunnels, and the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory.