Notable Library Collections

Here’s just a sample of rare and unique publications, postcards, interactive books, and artist ephemera found deep in our stacks

Dreaming of a lobster telephone? The museum holds a wealth of resources on Surrealism and Dada.

Read more on the moderns who ushered in a century of “form follows function” aesthetics, pushing the boundaries of fine art, craft, and design.

Our collection of 18th century architecture books includes the library of Napoleon’s official architects, Percier and Fontaine. We also hold an extensive collection by (and about) our namesake, Daniel Burnham, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, and other icons of Chicago architecture.

Patterns galore! Some of our most visually exciting works are historical design books. Pour over the richly colored images of the masters of Art Nouveau and Art Deco design.

Investigate Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, the Exposition universelle de 1899, the 1933 Century of Progress fair, the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and more.

From Georgia O’Keeffe to Jim Nutt, Chicago has been a hotbed of creativity for over a century. We collect Chicago-focused materials in art, architecture, and design up to the present.

What is a book? Artists’ books, zines, hand-made pieces, and artist published serials push the boundaries.

Dive deep into works by and about the 2SLGBTQIA+ artists who have been redefining aesthetic expression for centuries.