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American Academy in Rome
Via Angelo Masina 5
00153 Rome
T) +39 06 58461
F) +39 06 5810788
Email Website
Visiting Hours:
Library, Monday-Friday: 9:00 – 18:00
Photo Archive, Tuesday, Thursday: 10:00-13:00/13:30-17:00, or by appointment
Archaeological Study Collection, by appointment only
Resources Offered:
The AAR Library holds over 140,000 volumes in the fields of classical studies and the history of italian art and architecture (cheifly medieval and renaissance) and subscribes to approximately 600 current periodicals. collections are especially strong in ancient mediterranean art and archaeology, classical literature, ancient topography (including the history of the city of rome), and related fields, such as epigraphy, numismatics, and papyrology. small but noteworthy collections include contemporary art and architecture, landscape architecture, italian history and literature, american literature, historical travel books, and music. there is a rare book collection primarily consisting of 16th-18th century imprints in classics, classical archaeology, and italian art and architecture, including sizeable collections of roman guidebooks and early art treatises. Online Catalog.
The Archaeological Study Collection offers a small but varied collection of artifacts for study. Information can be found in the Archaeological Study Collection database. For more information or to schedule an appointment to view the collection, contact T. Corey Brennan, FAAR’88, Andrew W. Mellon Professor-in-Charge.
The AAR Photo Archive consists of several valuable and specialized collections of photographs on arhcaeology, architecture, and art, as well as landscape architecture and gardens. It also includes special collections important to the history of the Academy.
Terms of Access:
The general qualification is an advanced degree (masters or doctorate) in the humanities. Prospective readers must complete a Library Access Form as well as submit a letter of introduction from their home institution, printed on institutional letterhead (or from another reader or authoritative person in the case of unaffiliated individuals) via e-mail or fax detailing academic background and current research project. All visitors to the Academy are required to show a valid photo ID at the entrance.
Upon submitting your written request, you must wait for a response from the Academy before going to the library. The Academy accepts new and renewing readers M-F 9:30-12:00; by appointment in the afternoon. Applicants who have been approved for a library card, but have not come to the library to collect it within three months will have to re-apply. Any reader who has been absent for 5 years or more (except a returning Fellow of the AAR) should be treated as a new reader and should bring a new letter of introduction. Note: Because of the large volume of readers during the summer, only temporary cards are issued April-July.
Reproduction services/policies:
The library has a “self-service” photocopier for which you can purchase $5 or $10 paper cards; or you may make photographs with your own camera free of charge.
Closing dates:
Academy facilities are closed during most Italian national holidays as well as the 4th Thursday of November (American Thanksgiving) and on the 4th of July (American Independence Day). The library is also closed from mid July to Mid September. Check website for exact dates.
Archivio di Stato di Roma
Complesso di Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza
Corso del Rinascimento 40
00186 Rome
T) +39 06 6819081
Website
Resources offered:
The Archivio di Stato has both an archive and a library, which have extensive collections of volumes and historical documents relating to Rome and Lazio.
Reproduction services/policies:
You may request reproductions or photograph materials with your own camera for a small per-page fee.
Terms of Access:
Readers are expected to be pursuing a specific research project which they must briefly describe to the archive’s administrative officials. A letter of introduction is not required, just a photo ID.
Closing dates:
As with all Roman research institutions, the Archivio di Stato is closed during the middle part of August. For specific dates, please consult the website’s summertime updates or contact the Archivio directly.
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Cortile del Belvedere
V-00120 Vatican City
T) +39/06698.79411
F) +39/06698.84795
Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:45 – 17:15
Resources offered:
Manuscripts collection, archival collection, printed books collection, prints and engravings, coins and medals.
Terms of access:
The Library is open to researchers and scholars with appropriate qualifications and/or relevant publications; teachers and researchers at Universities and other institutes of Higher Education; graduate students who are pursuing research for a doctoral dissertation; in exceptional cases, undergraduate students who can demonstrate that they need to consult material which is available only at the Vatican Library. It is not open to High School students, nor, as a rule, to undergraduate University students.
All readers applying for their first reader’s pass must produce the following: a valid identification document, which will be left at the Police Office at the Sant’Anna entrance to the Vatican City State; a reference letter or a valid document proving appropriate academic qualifications; for students, a Letter of Surety, printed on institutional letterhead and signed by their dissertation supervisor.
The reader’s pass allows access to the Library. The annual pass is valid from the day it is issued until the following annual closing of the Library. The short-term pass is valid for a fixed number of days, as determined by the Admissions Office. In any case, access is granted only until May 31 for undergraduate students and until June 15 for graduate students. The reader’s pass allows consultation of printed books only; specific authorization is needed for the consultation of manuscripts. The pass is strictly personal and non-transferable; it replaces the reader’s identification document while he or she is in the Library. By accepting the reader’s pass and signing the form indicating their personal details in the Admissions Office, readers agree to observe the Library’s Rules and Regulations.
Closing Dates:
The library is closed for most of July, all of August, and the first half of September. Full calendar of opening dates and hours.
Biblioteca di Archeologia e Storia dell’Arte
Piazza Venezia, 3
00183 Rome
T) +39 06 6977001
Website
Visiting Hours:
Biblioteca – accoglienza e sale I piano: Monday-Friday: 8.30-19.30; Saturday: 9.30-13.30
Sala Barbo: Monday-Friday: 9.30-17.00; Saturday: 9.30-13.30
Sala Lanciani: Monday-Saturday: 9.30-13.30
Sede distaccata della Crociera: Wednesday: 9,30-17.00
Resources offered:
Cataloghi di mostra, Cataloghi di vendita, Fondo Alfredo Castellani, Fondo Giulio Quirino Giglioli, Fondo Rodolfo lanciani, Fondo Dusmet, Fondo Monneret, Fondo Pagliara, Fondo Rossi, Fondo Fabrizio Ruffo, Fondo Venturoli, Libri di viaggio, Periodici, Opere Manoscritte e fondi archivistici, Sezione musicale, Sezione Rari, Sezione Romana, Sezione teatrale, and a digital library that includes a group of digitized Italian journals.
Terms of Access:
Readers must present a photo ID to obtain a library card.
Reproductions services/policies:
The library provides digital reproductions for a per-page fee. They do not make photocopies. No photographing are allowed of any of the library materials.
Closing dates:
During the second and third weeks of August, the library is only open between 11:00 and 12:00.
Bibliotheca Hertziana/Max Planck Institute for Art History
Library
Via Gregoriana 28
00187 Rome
T) +39 06 69993 – 227
Email Website
Fototeca
Via Gregoriana 22
00187 Rome
T) +39 06 69993-421
Email
Resources offered:
The bibliographic materials focus on the history of Italian art from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century and consist of around 272,687 volumes, including 2,500 periodicals, of which 1,108 are of current publications. The Library reopened on 1 February 2013. External scholars will have access to the Institute’s library holdings from February 1, 2013, following the official opening of the New Library celebrated on January 15, 2013.
The general archives have materials on Palazzo Zuccari: the mural paintings, restoration and alterations, on the residents, renters, owners, inventories of the collections, technical/administrative documentation, on research projects, events, etc.
The digital catalogue of the Photographic Collection contains 222,000 photographs of more than 158,000 works. 140,000 photographs of approximately 100,000 objects.
CENSUS digital catalog of antique works of art and architecture known in the Renaissance
Max Planck digital library
Terms of Access:
Must request access in person at the main headquarters of the Institute (via Gregoriana 28) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9-11 or Wednesday, 15-17. Provide photo ID, proof of academic credentials/affiliation, letter of presentation, and a passport-size photograph. In order to speed the renewal and issuance of new access cards, we ask guests to consult the terms of use and to bring the completed admission form to the Institute.
Reproduction services/policies:
Online delivery for some materials is available, and your access card allows you to order certain books via the internet. More information.
Visiting Hours:
M-F 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The entrance is at Via Gregoriana 30 and access is possible only with a valid user ID card. Directions.
Biblioteca Nazionale di Roma
Viale Castro Pretorio 105
00185 Rome
T) +39 0649891
Website
Resources offered:
In addition to its collection of printed volumes, the library offers the following digital collections: Cataloghi storici dei manoscritti e Catalogo degli autografi, Immagini della grande guerra, Archivio Fotografico Ceccarius, Collezione Cima, Fondo Dannunziano, Biblioteca nonantolana virtuale, Fondo Siciliani, Periodici digitalizzati, Progetto ADVA (Applicazioni digitali per la valorizzazione dei beni culturali, Progetto Manoscritti Miniati, Un CD-Rom per Francesco Petrarca
Terms of access:
The majority of the library’s collections are open to anyone 18 years or older with a valid photo ID. Consulting the rare books and manuscripts collection, however, requires a letter of introduction on university letterhead from the patron’s thesis advisor and an explanation of the research to be carried out.
Reproduction services/policies:
The library has a reproductions office that makes photocopies for you at a reasonable per-page charge for most library materials. In the case of old or rare books, however, they will usually only make digital reproductions, which are quite expensive (around 2.5 euro per page). Making photographs on your own is strictly forbidden.
Closing dates:
Most of the library’s services are closed for the middle two weeks of August. The remainder of the month of August has abbreviated hours. Check website to verify hours of operation for this period.
Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico
Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico
Piazza di Spagna, 31
00187 Roma
+39 06 679 6546
Website
Email (Casa-museo de Chirico – prenotazioni; Biblioteca & richieste di studio)
Email (Servizio di archiviazione; Richieste generali)
The Foundation was instituted in 1986 by the artist’s widow Isabella Pakszwer Far and by Claudio Bruni Sakraischik, curator of the Catalogue Raisonne. Located at the artist’s apartment-studio at n. 31 Piazza di Spagna, Rome – today the seat of the House-museum – the Foundation continues to carry out the original aim of the founders, which is that of safeguarding and promoting Giorgio de Chirico’s art and intellectual work.
Visiting Hours: House-museum open September-July, Tuesday-Saturday and first Sunday of each month, 9:00-13:00. Guided tours are conducted in Italian or English. Visitors are accompanied by a member of staff. Three guided tours are held each day at the following times: 10:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Advanced booking is required by telephone, by email, or directly on the website.
Resources Offered: Paintings, works on paper and sculptures, dating from the mid 1920s onwards, for the most part works executed by de Chirico during the last 30 years of his life. Archival collection of documentation related to De Chirico’s artistic production and the Claudio Bruni Sakraischik Archive which includes documentation related to artist’s career and personal life. Publishes biennial journal, Metaphysical Art. The de Chirico Journals and offers scholarships to support study of De Chirico.
Closing Dates: August and most Sundays.
Fondazione Marco Besso
Largo d Largo di Torre Argentina 11
00186 Rome
T) +39 066865611
Email Website
Resources offered:
The library has particularly strong collections in the subjects of Dante (all his works from the earliest to the most recent editions with translations in many languages and dialects, as well as works of critical commentary and relevant periodicals); the city of Rome (history, art, urbanism, literature, dialect, church history, the papacy, the papal states); proverbs (collections of proverbs in many languages and dialects and critical commentary and studies on various aspects of popular traditions); Lazio (geography, economics, culture, history).
Terms of access:
Readers must provide a photo ID and a letter of introduction from thesis advisor or authority in the applicant’s research area.
Reproduction services/policies:
The library does not offer any reproduction services, but you are welcome to bring your own camera and photograph materials free of charge.
Closing dates:
The library is closed for most of the month of August. For specific dates, consult the website’s summertime updates or contact the library directly.
Istituto Storico Italiano per il Medioevo
Piazza dell’Orologio 4
00186 Rome
T) +39 06 68802075
Website
Resources offered:
The Institute has both an archive and a library. More information.
Terms of Access:
New users must fill out a request form and present a photo ID and letter of introduction from thesis advisor or research director.
Closing dates:
The institute is closed for the month of August
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