The collection contains the papers of Wallace Mitchell and his family during his years as a Cranbrook graduate student, instructor and an administrator of the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Some correspondence and minutes of the Cranbrook Academy of Art during Mitchell's tenure as president is included, though much of it was removed and added to the CAA Administration Records in Feb 2007. A large bulk of the collection pertains to Joan Bence's interviews and correspondence with Mitchell's friends, colleagues and patrons in the preparation of her publication, The Art of Wallace Mitchell. Also included are catalogs and materials related to Mitchell’s commissions and exhibits. The photographic material includes negatives, transparencies, slides and photographs.

SERIES I: Professional (1935-1984) contains biographical and professional papers including correspondence, applications, commissions and exhibitions, articles and clippings, obituaries, and materials relating to Mitchell’s Memorial exhibition in 1977. SERIES II: Research (1944-1995, n.d.) consists of Joan Bence's interviews and correspondence with Wallace Mitchell's family, friends and patrons in the preparation of a biographical manuscript. It also includes a typescript of Mrs. Bence’s completed manuscript, The Art of Wallace Mitchell, and typescripts of two additional, unpublished articles on Mitchell. SERIES III: Photographic Materials (1916-1977, n.d.) contains photographs of Wallace Mitchell and of his works. Slides in Box 7 are marked with Code Numbers, which are explained in Folder 15, Box 5. Photographs and a catalog of photographs of Mitchell’s work are in boxes 5-6A. SERIES IV: Restricted.