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Art/ Libraries and Research Centers/ Thomas J. Watson Library
A large, brightly lit room in a library lined with shelves of books; the center has long rectangular wooden tables and chairs where researchers work.

Thomas J. Watson Library 

Watson Library is open Saturdays, 10am–4pm. Please review our Frequently Asked Questions for Visitors in advance of your visit. All researchers are required to adhere to Visitor Guidelines.

Thomas J. Watson Library is The Met's research library. With its collection of more than one million volumes, extensive digital collections, and online resources, Watson Library is one of the world's most comprehensive art libraries.

The Library's holdings reflect the global and encyclopedic nature of The Met, with books ranging in date from the late fifteenth century, to current scholarship, in all fields covered by The Met. Last year the Library added more than twenty thousand titles in sixty-seven languages.

The Library's mission is to support the research activities of the Museum staff and to offer access and outstanding services to an international community of students and scholars.

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Library Hours

For Visitors
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
10:00am-5:00pm
Saturday
10:00am-4:00pm

For Museum Staff
Monday-Friday
9:00am-5:30pm
Saturday
10:00am-4:00pm

Library Closures

 

Current Library Exhibition

Artists of the Holocaust: Portfolios, Exhibition Catalogs, and Monographs


Using the Library

Reading privileges are extended to museum staff and visiting researchers wishing to do art historical or related research.

About the Library

Read about the history and collections of Watson Library.

Research

Get started with our research guides and links to useful collections and resources.

Stay In Touch

Our Staff

Meet our librarians and conservators.

View Staff List.

Get to Know the Library

Our blog, In Circulation, features in-depth articles and the latest news about the Museum Libraries' collections, activities, and research.

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Library Newsletter

Join our mailing list. Your contact information will not be used for anything beyond newsletter delivery.

View our newsletter archive.

Dashboard

Explore the Library's dashboard, updated monthly, for information about the collection and library activities.

Watson Library Virtual Programs

View recordings of Watson Library staff members presenting to library supporters on book related topics.


Library Symposia

The Thomas J. Watson Library sponsors biennial symposia and occasional lectures which provide opportunities to fully examine specific genres of The Museum's special and rare book collections.

Quick Links

Contact Watson Library

Watson Library will provide brief responses to questions concerning specific artists and objects in the Museum's collection. Use this form to submit your questions.

Suggest a Library Purchase

The Library welcomes suggestions, and you may use this form to recommend an item for our collection.

Support the Library

Learn more about how you can become involved and support research and scholarship at The Met.