The museum grants access to collections in art storage for research and study conforming to the standards of the scholarly disciplines it represents and to individual scholars and members of groups associated with these disciplines.

Access to the collections in art storage is available Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only. Appointments are scheduled with the appropriate curatorial department upon receipt of a written statement of research objectives for the project, information specifying the relationship of the project to specific museum collections, and a list of objects to be researched including their accession numbers. A minimum two weeks’ notice is requested and visits are subject to availability. Visitors may be required to use departmental documentation, including catalogues, photograph notebooks and object files, to narrow their selection of objects to be viewed prior to entering the storage area. Objects will not be deinstalled from permanent exhibitions for visitors.

In considering requests for access, the museum must balance competing considerations such as the need to safeguard the collection and other demands on the staff. While we aim to fulfill all reasonable requests, preference is given to scholars, graduate students and staff of other museums. Projects for study must be specified in advance, and visitors must limit themselves to the material requested. Depending on the project, we may have to impose a maximum number of objects. Casual browsing and impromptu requests cannot be accommodated. All visitors to collection storage areas will be accompanied at all times by an assigned staff member. Researchers must be at least 21 years old. Family members, companions or children are not allowed access.

For appointment requests, please complete the following form and someone will contact you.