A finding aid is an inventory or index that describes the contents and context of an archival collection. Finding aids are the primary method of accessing information about any given group of records.
Because some archival collections are very large, finding aids will not necessarily describe every item contained within. In other words, the description may state only in general terms what is contained within a box, series, or folder (e.g., “letters, 1940”). In order to ascertain the full and exact contents of a collection, it may be necessary to review the materials in person at the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries’ Reading Room.
Finding aids are text documents and do not contain images or other digital content. To access a selection of digitized objects from the Archives’ collections, please visit our Images and Media database.
Finding Aids by Subject
- Sullivan, Wright, Prairie School, and Organic Architecture
- Burnham, Beaux-Arts, Plan of Chicago, and Fairs
- Mies, IIT, and the Second Chicago School
- Chicago Commercial, Residential, and Landscape Architecture, Pre-WWII
- Chicago Commercial, Residential, and Landscape Architecture, Post-WWII
- Historic Architecture and Landscape Image Collection
- Individual Artist, Organization, or Subject Collections
- Decorative Arts, Graphic Design, and Industrial Design
Contact us
For image rights and reproductions of works of art from the museum’s curatorial collections, you must review this information and contact Art Resource accordingly. The Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archive does not manage such requests and cannot provide information or guidance regarding any such inquiries.
For information regarding our archival collections, please contact the Archives via our Contact and Application for Access form.
