The Chemical Heritage Foundation, which traces its origins to 1982, was founded by the American Chemical Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Headquartered at Independence National Historical Park, "America's most historic square mile," CHF today enjoys the endorsement and support of nineteen professional societies and associations and is recognized as the central agency for preserving, studying, and communicating the heritage of the chemical community.

The mission of the Chemical Heritage Foundation is to advance the heritage of the chemical sciences by collecting and disseminating information about historical resources; encouraging research, scholarship, and popular writing; publishing resource guides and historical materials; conducting oral histories; creating traveling exhibits; and taking other appropriate steps to make known the achievements of chemical scientists and the chemical process industries.