This series includes three-dimensional objects used by the band in road tours, in performances, and in recording sessions, and also large objects and decorative pieces gifted to the band by fans. Included are such objects as instruments, equipment, stage props, touring cases, signs, furniture and stained glass.

The Grateful Dead were an American rock band that formed in 1965 in Northern California. They came to fame as part of author Ken Kesey's Acid Tests, a series of multimedia happenings centered around then-legal LSD. Famed for their concerts, the band performed more than 2,300 shows over thirty years, disbanding after the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia in August 1995. Although their only Top 10 hit, "Touch of Grey," charted in 1987, their popularity was based on concerts, and in their last decade they consistently placed in the top five tours every year. Known for the range of their repertoire and the caliber of their compositions, the Dead's songbook has been covered by a wide range of other musicians, from Bob Dylan to Jane's Addiction. They released thirteen studio albums and nine contemporary live albums during their career, and more than 100 live releases since then. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

ca. 120 linear feet

Property rights to the physical objects reside with the University of California. In many cases the producers, or creators and their heirs may retain copyright. To inquire about the copyright of material in this series, please contact the Grateful Dead Archivist at: grateful@ucsc.edu