About the Library

The Museum Studies & Reference Library (MS&RL) is one of the largest sources of information, and bibliographic services available to museum professionals and researchers in the United States. MS&RL is a library with information resources on museums and all aspects of museum operations, and with comprehensive reference collection to support scholarly research in Institution programs.

One of 20 branches of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, MS&RL was established in 2002. MSRL combines collections formerly known as the Museum Reference Center and the Central Reference & Loan Services.