12 Gifts for History Buffs
From books, puzzles, and games to home decor, these gift ideas will delight the history buff on your list.
1. A Good Travel Book
Featured Titles
There’s nothing better to quench your thirst for knowledge and adventure.
2. A Mug
For history buffs who want to dig deep into the past: billions of years of history come to life with this informative Geologic Time Mug.
3. Letters from American History
For anyone who appreciates getting mail, Letterjoy’s subscription services sends you rare and interesting letters from historical figures, unearthed from archives and libraries around the world. Send someone you love a letter from Amelia Earhart or Teddy Roosevelt!
4. A Board Game
In Chronology, players place historical events in chronological order. What came first, the invention of mayonnaise or decaffeinated coffee? Compete with your friends to find out who the real history buff is.
5. A Puzzle
Welcome to our favorite museum, the herstory museum. As this lovely illustrated puzzle proclaims, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Can you spot the famous women figures throughout history?
6. A Page-a-Day calendar
The New York Times Headlines in History Page-A-Day® Calendar 2027 features remarkable stories and historical events pulled from the New York Times archives, perfect for either brushing up on history or acing your local pub quiz night!
7. A Matsumoto Hoji Print
Matsumoto Hoji was a Japanese artist active during the late 1700s. Buy a print of his famous woodblock frog from Sugar & Canvas. The original hangs today at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
8. A LEGO® Architecture Kit
Comprised of a whopping 2022 pieces, LEGO® Taj Mahal doesn’t quite match up to the architectural marvel of the original—but it sure comes close.
9. A Deep Dive into U.S. History
Featured Titles
These nonfiction picks are a must for U.S. history buffs.
10. Hamilton: The Revolution
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical Hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution, and helped to found the United States. Fusing hip-hop, pop, R&B, and the best traditions of theater, this once-in-a-generation show broadens the sound of Broadway, reveals the storytelling power of rap, and claims our country’s origins for a diverse new generation.
Hamilton: The Revolution gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages — “since before this was even a show,” according to Miranda — traces its development from an improbable performance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here.
Their account features photos by the renowned Frank Ockenfels and veteran Broadway photographer, Joan Marcus; exclusive looks at notebooks and emails; interviews with Questlove, Stephen Sondheim, leading political commentators, and more than 50 people involved with the production; and multiple appearances by President Obama himself. The book does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don’t throw away their shot.
11. A Book for Space Geeks
A witty history of the surprisingly ridiculous and ramshackle Soviet space program.
“A brisk, rip-roaring account.” —The Wall Street Journal
The Space Race should have been over before it started. The USSR was battered from World War II and up against an ascendant United States. Nevertheless, the Soviets scored a series of victories―starting with the 1957 launch of Sputnik―that seemed to accomplish the impossible.
Yet as John Strausbaugh shows, these were PR victories as much as scientific ones. The reality was less impressive and much more farcical. The Soviet supply chain was a disaster, and many machines barely worked. The cosmonauts aboard the iconic Vostok 1 rocket had to remove their space suits just to fit inside. Soviet scientists, under intense government pressure, had essentially made their rockets out of spit and Band-Aids.
The Wrong Stuff is a vivid and entertaining journey beyond the Iron Curtain, revealing the dysfunctional reality behind the Soviet Union’s seemingly ingenious space program.
12. A Framed Map
These pictorial maps from The Vintage Map Emporium (a family owned business based in Las Vegas) are the perfect wall decor for the history buff in your life! Choose from a variety of maps including London, New York City, and many more.
What to Read Next…
Pin it for later
