Collecting for the Winterthur Library

The Winterthur Library is a center for advanced research in America’s artistic, material culture, and social history from the 17^th into the mid-20^th century.

The library collects imprints, trade catalogs, periodicals, auction catalogs, manuscripts, prints, original works of art on paper, pieces of ephemera, unpublished monographs, photographs, microforms, and multimedia resources.

Because Winterthur considers these varied resources as part cultural artifacts, part research tools, the library has been actively acquiring such materials for more than 50 years with an eye for their usefulness on many levels. The result is an assemblage that researchers can peruse and interpret in ways limited only by the sorts of questions they ask of it.

To complement Winterthur’s institutional identification as one of the last surviving country estates in the United States, the library is building its already noteworthy holdings on all aspects of American estate life and their European influences. Published materials, manuscripts, and photographs relating to life on a country estate focus on many areas, including architecture, the management of estates, the furnishing and decoration of country homes, servants, farming, upper class life, horticulture, outbuildings, animals associated with estate life, etc.

We welcome hearing from anyone who would like to assist in developing the holdings of the library.  You may contact us at reference@winterthur.org.