Research
The preservation of the past, expansion of scholarship, and making information available to an audience of art lovers the world over are critical components of research at the Museum. With one of the oldest major art reference libraries in the United States, extensive archival holdings, and staff committed to both the continued investigation into the history of works of art and the examination and treatment of works of art for the future, the Museum stands among the country's premier institutions for art study and research.
The Museum's Conservation Department focuses on preserving the collections for future generations.
Museum Library
The Library is one of the major art reference libraries in the United States, with volumes dating from the sixteenth century.
The Archives are the primary source of information relating to the Museum's history.
With only a small percentage of the department’s vast collections are on display, works from the permanent collection are made available for study by appointment in the Abigail Rebecca Cohen Study Room.
Learn more about provenance research, the study of an artwork's history of ownership.
