He received a classical education and entered Brown University, where he took a prize for proficiency in Greek and was noted for his thorough acquaintance with the ancient and modern languages, but did not graduate due to poor health.

He then became a co-laborer with Heinrich Karl Brugsch and Gaston Camille Charles Maspero in the field of Egyptology, accompanying the latter on five winter exploring expeditions up the Nile.

The purpose of this endowment was to financially assist in the purchasing of objects for the museum's Egyptian collection, support curatorial staff, and establish the Wilbour Library of Egyptology.

These include a file of letters between Charles Wilbour's wife, Charlotte, and noted Suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Isabella Beecher Hooker, among others.

This collection includes a wide variety of materials such as articles, letters, inscriptions, notebooks, notes, publications, squeezes, bookplates, maps, and photographs.

[3] In addition, there are letters to Wilbour from renowned Egyptologists such as August Eisenlohr, Jan Herman Insigner, Gaston Maspero, Archibald Sayce, Heinrich Karl Brugsch, and W.M.

In addition to his letters, Wilbour's research notes and notebooks offer insight into his work and provide detailed accounts of his observations and travels.

Of particular interest are Wilbour's hand written copies from inscriptions located in the Temple of Kom Ombo, which reflect his meticulousness and attention to detail.

With over 35,000 volumes, the Wilbour Library is an important resource for textual and visual information about the history of ancient Egypt.