The mission of the Atlantic County Historical Society is to encourage the study of local history and genealogy and to disseminate this information to our members and the general public.

The Atlantic County Historical Society is an independent, non-profit, tax-exempt membership organization. Originally founded in 1913 to collect and preserve the history of Atlantic County and southern New Jersey, the organization was incorporated as the Atlantic County Historical Society in 1915. In 2006, the Society was briefly renamed the Atlantic Heritage Center, but the original name was restored in 2011. 

The Society opened its library and museum at the current location in 1968. In 2017, an extensive renovation project added additional space for the museum and to provide handicapped accessibility. 

The Risley Homestead site was bequeathed to the Society in 1989 by Virginia Risley Stout. She and her husband were the last to live in this historic building, of which portions date to 1790. The building is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Atlantic County Historical Society and Risley Homestead are registered business trade names of Atlantic County Historical Society, Inc.

Membership in the Atlantic County Historical Society is open to anyone. We encourage you to join a growing organization comprised of people who share a common interest in preserving Atlantic County’s past and present for future generations. 

Find out more about membership levels and benefits.

Download the  pdf ACHS Membership Form (128 KB)

The organization is managed by a Governing Board comprised of the Executive Board and Trustees.