The Business Interest series documents the Rockefeller Family's investments and financial involvement in a variety of industries, companies, and geographic areas, including banks, oil, iron mining, timber, railroads, Rockefeller Center, and South America.

This series reflects primarily the activities of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., but significant documentation on the political and civic concerns of each of his sons is also present. In addition to extensive files on family support of the Republican Party on the national, state, and local level, separate folders exist on specific candidates, such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, and New York Governor Thomas Dewey. There are substantial files on family support for Nelson Rockefeller during his first gubernatorial campaign and immediately afterward. However, very little material exists in this series on his presidential effort in 1960.

The Cultural Interests series reflects the Rockefeller family's involvement and contributions in the areas of the arts, museums, parks, and historic restorations. The series contains correspondence between members of the Rockefeller family and the Family Office Staff on the one hand, and officials and members of the various institutions and organizations on the other. Most of the material concerns unsolicited appeals for donations. Some members of the family were also members of or were active in several of the organizations, and some of the correspondence reflects this activity.

The files found in this series include correspondence by members of the Rockefeller family and their representatives and the officials of various institutions. Most of the material is unsolicited requests for aid. The material on institutions in which the family took an active interest, such as the International Houses, includes analysis, reports, general correspondence, contributions, and administration.

The Friends and Services series is primarily John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s personal correspondence with his friends and relations. Other files deal with a variety of support, service, and administrative activities such as the operation of the Family Office, family membership in social clubs, family doctors, management of family garages and stables, and arrangement for the biographies of John D. Rockefeller and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

The Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller (OMR) materials document the increasing role assumed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in the management of Rockefeller affairs and amply document his business and philanthropic affairs. They also chronicle the entrance of JDR Jr.'s sons, John D. 3rd, Nelson A., Laurance S., Winthrop, and David, into the world of business, philanthropy, civic leadership, and politics as they joined the office.

The materials in this series represent the Rockefeller family's involvement over the course of more than half a century with mainstream charitable and philanthropic organizations. With certain important exceptions, these papers focus on maintenance organizations, i.e., groups handling the chronic problems of the disabled, alcoholics, juvenile delinquents, orphans, the elderly, and the sick. For this reason, much of the correspondence and other material contained here is of a routine nature and constitutes what was once called the "citizenship" obligations of the Rockefeller family.