The April Fool Archive

For over 500 years, the first of April has been a day set aside for pranks and mirthful deception. The April Fool Archive documents the history and folklore of this custom. It catalogs the various pranks, hoaxes, tall tales, and mischievous deeds that have been perpetrated on this day, from the sixteenth century to the present day.

The archive is a work in progress. If you know of any examples that we've missed, let us know.

Organizations with April Fool Traditions

BBC | BMW | Daily Mail | Google | Guardian | Honolulu Star-Bulletin | London Times | NPR | Virgin