The Center is located on the campus of Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, along the banks of the Potomac River about 75 miles from Washington, DC.

The Byrd Center is adjacent to the Scarborough Library, the main campus library.

The Center was dedicated in August 2002.  Senator Byrd (in light suit) cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Center.

The Center includes archival research facilities, offices, classrooms and an auditorium.

The Center’s archives feature the papers of Senator Robert C. Byrd, the longest serving senator in U. S. history.  

Other collections in the Center’s archives include the Harley Staggers Sr. and Jr. Congressional Collections. All of the collections are being processed to make them available to researchers in the future.

The Rotunda Reading Room is for researchers working with the Center’s collections.  It also houses reference works pertaining to the study of Congress and the U. S. Constitution.

The Center has a 100-seat auditorium that is used for Center events, films, and classes taught by the Center’s staff.

On the first Constitution Day in 2005 over 400 people attended a speech by Senator Byrd followed by a reception at the Byrd Center.

We hope you will take advantage of the Byrd Center’s offerings as we strive to work with researchers, educators, and citizens to increase public understanding of the role of Congress as the First Branch of American government and the hallmark of our representative democracy.