Library + Archives
Overview
The SFMOMA Research Library and Archives is closed through early 2016 due to the upcoming expansion of our building.
SFMOMA will present a dynamic range of off-site exhibitions and programs while the expansion is under way, but we regret that the SFMOMA Library and Archives will not be able to provide on-site or remote research access to its holdings during this time.
About the Library
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The SFMOMA Research Library was established in 1935 with the aim of advancing scholarship in modern and contemporary art. Its holdings reflect the collecting, exhibiting, and educational activities of the museum itself, with particular strengths in photography, art, architecture, design, and media arts.
The library also houses the SFMOMA Archives, the repository for the museum's institutional records dating back to its founding. The archives include records from the Office of the Director, photographs documenting select exhibitions and events, and exhibition records.
Library Collections
| Collection | Description |
|---|---|
| Books | 80,000 monographs, catalogues raisonnés, exhibition catalogues, artists' books, and more |
| Periodicals | 2,010 magazines, annuals, museum bulletins, and annual reports |
| Artists' files | 47,000 files containing ephemera such as exhibition announcements, résumés, and press releases |
| The Sydney Tillim Collection | 1,100 volumes focusing on photomechanical reproduction processes from the late 1830s to 1970s |
| The Kurenboh Collection | 825 volumes focusing on Japanese photography spanning the 1930s to the present |
| The Skowhegan Lecture Archive | 600 talks on 800+ compact discs documenting an ongoing lecture series at Skowhegan begun in 1952 |
About the Archives
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| Poster for Space for Living: An Exhibition of Planning and Architecture, 1940; Exhibition Records, SFMOMA Archives
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The SFMOMA Archives collects and preserves past institutional records of enduring value. It is the primary source of information relating to the museum's history, encompassing exhibitions, activities, and events; our interactions with significant artistic figures and organizations; and our role as a vital advocate for contemporary art on the West Coast.
Processed collections in the Archives include:
- Exhibition files and photographs
- Administrative papers of the museum's directors, curators, and departments
- Materials related to the Golden Gate International Exposition
- Records of museum-affiliated bodies such as the Women's Board and the Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art
Finding Aids
We have provided a number of finding aids to assist researchers. Follow the links below to download PDFs.
- Curatorial Records, 1959-78
- Education Department Records, 1957-66
- Elise S. Haas Papers, 1921-91
- Exhibition Records, 1934-ongoing
- Film Department Records, 1944-65
- Film Department Records, 1970-80
- Golden Gate International Exposition Records, 1937-41
- Office of the Director Records, 1935-58
- Office of the Director Records, 1959-65
- Office of the Director Records, 1966-72
- Photographs Collection, 1935-75
- Publications Collection, 1935-ongoing
- Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art (SECA) Records, 1960-81
- Research Library Records, 1940-68
- Women's Board Records, 1934-77
Policies
Download a guide to citing archival materials (PDF).
Hours + Directions
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street
between Mission + Howard Streets
San Francisco,
California
94103
USA
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