William Morris Hunt Memorial Library

Consisting of more than 1000 items, materials from the William Morris Hunt Memorial Library's Special Collections cover a wide range of materials from small pamphlets to massive folios that touch on every subject area in the MFA's encyclopedic collection. The items housed in Special Collections have been collected and donated over the more than 150 year history of the William Morris Hunt Memorial Library and reflect the changing art world of Boston and beyond.

The reading room at the MFA's William Morris Hunt Memorial Library is open by appointment only. Please submit a Library Appointment Request to make an appointment. Phone inquiries are not accepted at this time.

Starting on January 2, 2023, appointment hours are offered on Mondays 10 am–1 pm, and Thursdays 1 pm–4 pm. Minimum 2 weeks advance notice is required. Submitting a request does not guarantee an appointment. Once the library receives a research appointment request, the library staff will reach out to confirm the appointment date and availability of the items requested. 

Since the majority of the library collection is housed in off-site locations, users must request books in advancxe to consult any library resources. This can be done when requesting your appointment. The library cannot accomadate any research or book requests made on the spot. 

Accessing Special Collections books may require additional consideration and accomadations as well as enhanced guidelines for researchers to follow when using the material.