The Old Main Cornerstone Box collection consists of items taken from the cornerstone box in Old Main on the lower campus of Mankato State Normal School during its construction in 1869. The time capsule includes newspapers, business cards from local businesses, photographs, and university course offering catalogs. Additional items were added to the cornerstone box in 1923 and 1969.

The Valley Campus Physical Education Building Cornerstone Collection consists of items recovered in 1982 from the time capsule that was placed in one of the walls of the Physical Education Building that was constructed in 1939. The collection contains statistical data, yearbooks, journals, and pamphlets.