About

This blog is designed to provide information about the collections of the Fine Arts Library at Harvard University.  We also frequently post highlights from our collections on our Instagram and Tumblr.

History

The Fine Arts Library at Harvard University is among the leading libraries in the world for the study of art, architecture, and visual culture from antiquity to the present. It is also the primary resource for the study of the history of art and architecture and related subjects at Harvard University. The history of the library is intertwined with Harvard’s pioneering role in the development of academic programs in art and architectural history and museum studies, starting in 1874 with the appointment of Charles Eliot Norton to the first professorship in art history in the United States. The Fogg Art Museum brought together the historical core of the collections, both printed materials and visual collections, at its founding in 1895. In 1962, Widener Library’s arts-related holdings joined the Fogg Museum Library, which became part of the Harvard College Library and acquired its current name, the Fine Arts Library.

Mission

The mission of the Fine Arts Library is to support and advance scholarly and creative pursuits in the global arts and visual culture at Harvard University and beyond. We are dedicated to providing meaningful access to library resources through active curation and long-term stewardship of diverse collections, as well as specialized staff expertise and accessible user-centered services. The library strives to uphold its values of artistic and intellectual freedom, diversity, and anti-racism, and be a site of connection and inclusion for our community, both near and far.