A key component of the mission of the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement is its commitment to education. That promise is embodied in the Museum's library. Elegantly furnished with period objects, the library creates a stunning visual presentation and enriching educational experience.
Students and scholars will find the library a valuable resource. It is the repository for a collection of books, journals, periodicals, and auction catalogues focusing on architecture, design, printmaking, photography, and decorative arts from the American Arts and Crafts movement. Important rare books and ephemera are also included in the collection, including rare handmade books from the Roycroft Shops. In addition to the books and journal, the library also displays original illustrations paired with their illustrated editions.
In true Arts and Crafts fashion, the library's interior is framed by traditional quarter-sawn oak wainscoting and flooring. The library is furnished with original Arts and Crafts pieces such as bookcases, library tables, desks, chairs, and magazine stands from Craftsman Workshops and L. & J.G. Stickley. Decorative features include leaded glass windows, Tiffany lamps, and oil paintings – all coming together to provide the visitor with a sense of timelessness and quiet decorum.
The Library is open to museum guests Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11am-1pm with docent guided tours of the library's period furnished interior.
The library holds catalogs from major auction houses dealing in Arts and Crafts sales — Rago, Toomey & Co., Sotheby's, Christie's, Skinner, and Bonhams. Donations always welcome.
Significant period publications such as The Craftsman, Camera Work, Keramic Studio, The Brickbuilder, and The Studio, as well as more recent titles like Style 1900 and American Bungalow.
Browse Journals and PeriodicalsUnparalleled archival materials spanning more than three decades of the career of ceramicist Arthur E. Baggs (1886–1947), including a generous gift from Baggs' granddaughters, sisters Laura Bretas and Sarah Saleh.
Browse the Arthur E. Baggs CollectionClick the thumbnail below to read our eBook The MAACM Library: A Visual Treat with a Noble Purpose