Hirshhorn Library
The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Library supports the research and exhibition program of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and is a destination for study of international modern and contemporary art.
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Using the library
The Library is located on the 4th floor of the Museum at Independence Avenue, SW & 7th Street SW in Washington, DC. It is open to the public by appointment Tuesday-Friday, 10 am–4 pm, except for federal holidays, closures, and delays, by calling 202-633-2773 or e-mailing us at HMSGLibrary@si.edu. Hours are subject to change based on staff availability. Materials must be used onsite. The Library participates in remote reference, interlibrary loan, the museum publication exchange program, and exhibition loans. Additional information on visiting the Library, including transportation and accessibility, can be found on the Using the HMSG Library page.
Our collection
The Hirshhorn Library houses more than 60,000 volumes, current print and electronic art magazines, as well as 41 drawers of ephemeral art and artist files, and a small collection of artists’ books. We cover the documentation and interpretation of major participants, events, trends, and critical discourse of modern and contemporary painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, photography, video, film, installation, performance, and emerging art forms from 1880 to the present. The onsite collection particularly focuses on artists in the Hirshhorn’s collection and on artists featured in the Museum’s exhibition program. We also provide onsite access to Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ rich electronic resources, including journal and auction indexes. Additional materials from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ network of locations may be delivered to the Hirshhorn Library with sufficient notice or consulted at their respective locations by appointment.
The Hirshhorn Museum Library’s Audio Archive is a repository of 306 digital audio files from 1969 to 2004 containing event recordings of the founding events of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, plus interviews of renowned modern and contemporary artists, lectures, and symposia focusing on significant themes in 20th-century art. An index of recordings and preview clips is available at the link above. Full digital files and original recordings may be accessed onsite at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Digital files may be delivered electronically if certain conditions are met. Contact the SI Archives Reference Desk at OSIAref@si.edu for more information about accessing the audio archive.
Museum history and rights and reproductions
Most historical documents about the history of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture, Joseph and Olga Hirshhorn, and architect Gordan Bunshaft are housed at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Contact the SI Archives Reference Desk at OSIAref@si.edu for assistance.
Museum object and exhibitions files are maintained by the Museum’s registrar office, as are rights and reproductions for Museum images. Contact HMSGcollections@si.edu for assistance.
Get Involved
The Hirshhorn Library relies strongly on interns and volunteers. Volunteer vacancies are posted at the Smithsonian’s Behind-the-Scenes Volunteer Program. The Library accepts interns from library schools and art and art history programs. Please see Smithsonian Libraries’ Internships and Fellowships for upcoming opportunities.
Gift-in-Kind Policy
The Hirshhorn Library welcomes gifts of art books, catalogues, and other research materials. It is in part through such generosity that the Library is able to add value to the contemporary art resources available in our community. Please see the Smithsonian Libraries’ Gift-in-Kind Policy for information on donations. You can also support the Library by Adopting a Book from our collection.