Research Guides

Discover reference tools, resources, and Chicago-area experts, and learn more about storing and handling your books.

Dig into 350 years of Paris Salon history with this detailed guide to primary and secondary sources in our collection.

The Art Institute’s art is front-and-center in our research collections. Discover how to start your research, and where you can go from there.

We’ve been collecting publications, documents, and records from and about the Art Institute since the beginning. Learn how to engage with our expansive historical resources.

Researchers use our resources to explore an enormous range of artists, artworks, and ideas about art. Browse tools and strategies for getting the most out of our collections, and beyond.

From vast academic holdings, to specialized collections, to the CPL, Chicago supports a rich ecosystem of research libraries and archives.

This extensive list of online resources, books on architects and architecture, and building histories can help you research Chicago buildings and their contexts.

Are there ravens in Ravenswood? What did Bubbly Creek smell like? And how do you pronounce “Hegewisch,” anyway? Find the answers to your neighborhood questions.