The Psychedelic History Archive is a digital collection focused on the broad and varied history of psychedelic substances over the last 500 years. We seek to document not just the well-known contributions of 20th century scientists, but also the roles of indigenous cultures, lesser-known researchers, and personal experiences with psychedelics submitted by the general public.

The Archive is currently a work in progress, having soft launched in the summer of 2024. The project is directed by Benjamin Breen (Associate Professor of History, University of California, Santa Cruz) and was initially supported by a grant from The Humanities Institute at UCSC. We are currently seeking continuing funding to greatly expand the range of resources available.

This project aims to provide a scholarly context for psychedelics as they gain mainstream acceptance in the 2020s. Our inspirations include Erowid.org and the works of scholarship included in the further reading section.

• Suggestions for texts, images, or biographies to include are welcome. Please see our contact page.

• Frequently asked questions are addressed here.