Right from its beginning the National Button Society has emphasized the preservation and study of clothing buttons. The National Button Society now has more than 3,000 members on four continents, with 39 of the 50 states represented by state and local button clubs. Membership in the National Button Society is open to individuals and organizations who collect buttons and who wish to support the objectives of the NBS. Principal among those objectives are the promotion of educational research and exhibitions, the publishing and dissemination of information about buttons, and the preservation of the aesthetic and historical significance of buttons for future generations.