The largest and most diversified museum library system in the world, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 2 million items in a network of 21 library research centers and an institutional archive throughout Washington, D.C.; Maryland; New York; and Panama. These rich resources, located behind the scenes in non-public areas for Smithsonian curators, staff, and visiting researchers and scholars, are normally accessible to members of the public by appointment only.
Guided by Smithsonian librarians Jane Quigley and Leslie Overstreet, visit three research collections under the same roof: the National Museum of Natural History Library, home to collections of 19th- and 20th-century scientific literature (thanks in part to the gifts of early Smithsonian curators); the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, the Smithsonian’s rare book collection of approximately 20,000 volumes on anthropology and the natural sciences published in the hand press period (1450-1840), including the personal library of James Smithson, the founding donor of the Smithsonian; and the John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology, which reflects the important role that the Smithsonian Institution played in the development of anthropology as a formal discipline in the United States.
In addition to brief presentations about the collections, selected books—from 16th-century illustrated herbals and accounts of Captain Cook’s voyages to 21st-century works naming new species of plants and animals by Smithsonian scientists—are on display for browsing, questions, and discussion.
Know Before You Go
- Tour participants meet in the lobby of the Constitution Avenue entrance to the National Museum of Natural History. This special behind-the-scenes tour is limited to 16 people.
Additional Date Options for this Tour
General Information
- Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, June 13, 2025.
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
