The Huntington Acquires Archive for the Integratron and UFO Movement

Key Takeaways 

• The Huntington has acquired a rich archive documenting the Integratron and the postwar UFO community that George Van Tassel helped shape in California’s Mojave Desert.  
• Focused on the 1950s to 1970s, the collection includes an architectural model; six blueprints; approximately 630 photographs, negatives, and slides; about 250 audio recordings; 8 mm film footage; books; and other publications.  
• The acquisition broadens The Huntington’s holdings in Southern California architecture, aerospace, the history of science, and cultural history. Related programming is planned for The Huntington’s 10th annual Strange Science event, which will take place Oct. 30–31, 2026. 

The Huntington has acquired a rich archive documenting the Integratron, the domed Mojave Desert architectural landmark conceived and built by George Van Tassel, and the postwar UFO community he helped shape. With the bulk of the materials dating from the 1950s to 1970s, the archive includes architectural drawings and a scale model of the Integratron as well as photographs, audiovisual recordings, publications, and other records. Together, they illuminate the intertwined histories of Southern California aerospace, experimental architecture, alternative spirituality, wellness culture, and the UFO community. 

“This remarkable archive tells the story of a place unlike any other, where aerospace, architecture, spirituality, and speculative science came together in the Southern California desert,” said Sandra Brooke Gordon, Avery Director of the Library at The Huntington. “It opens a window for researchers into the Integratron and the broader world of technological ambition, alternative belief, and community that shaped postwar California.” 

Inside the Collection 

The collection comprises records created and assembled by George Van Tassel (1910–1978), an aircraft mechanic, test-flight inspector, inventor, author, self-ordained minister, ufologist, and contactee—a person who claims to have communicated with extraterrestrial beings. Most of the materials document the conception and construction of the Integratron—which became Van Tassel’s life’s work—as well as his lectures, publications, fundraising activities, and involvement in the broader UFO community. 

Spanning the 1910s through the 1990s, the collection includes an architectural model; six blueprints; approximately 630 photographic prints, negatives, and slides; an oil painting; approximately 250 audiotapes and cassettes; 8 mm film footage; books; and other publications. The audiovisual holdings provide a rich record of the ideas and public programs associated with Van Tassel and his College of Universal Wisdom, the organization through which he promoted his teachings and research. 

Before its acquisition by The Huntington, the collection was stewarded by Don and Dayle McKinney, who obtained the materials from George Riddell of the College of Universal Wisdom following Van Tassel’s death. 
 
The McKinney Collection of George W. Van Tassel Papers includes extensive materials about Van Tassel’s College of Universal Wisdom and the Integratron.

For press inquiries or to request high-resolution press images, email huntingtonnews@huntington.org. 

About The Huntington 

The Huntington, a world-renowned cultural and educational institution, provides transformative experiences for a community of the curious. Founded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington, it supports research and promotes public engagement through its expansive library, art, and botanical collections. By cultivating dynamic scholarship, creating innovative programs for students and lifelong learners, and sharing its extraordinary resources, The Huntington invites all on a journey of discovery, insight, and connection. Only 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, The Huntington is located at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California. Learn more at huntington.org.