Engagement Across Disciplines: The Library/Art Building Project

To meet these evolving needs, The Huntington is undertaking a bold new initiative: the development of the Library/Art Building (LAB), an 83,000-square-foot modernization that preserves the historic character of the original structure while transforming it into a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration.

For the first time, Library and Art Museum staff will work together in a purpose-built facility featuring new studios for paintings and objects preservation, expanded study areas, and secure, modern storage for rare and fragile materials. The project will retain the Mediterranean Revival–style façade designed by Myron Hunt, a prominent figure in early 20th-century Southern California architecture.

Fittingly, the LAB’s design comes from the major international architectural firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA), with Samuel Anderson Architects contributing specialized expertise in collections storage and conservation studio design.

“This is the most ambitious building project in The Huntington’s history,” said Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence. “It reflects our deep commitment to stewardship, scholarship, and public engagement—and to creating spaces that will serve our collections and communities for the next century.”

One Huntington

The project originated from Lawrence’s search for a unified solution to parallel needs identified by both the Library and the Art Museum. That vision aligned with the institution’s strategic priority of “One Huntington,” where art, science, and the humanities are in active dialogue.

“The Trustees were unanimous in recognizing the importance of this project,” said Greg Pieschala, chair of the Board of Trustees. “We each felt it was important to contribute generously to this renovation.”

Backed by the Board of Trustees and senior staff, the concept evolved into a transformative investment in conservation infrastructure, collections care, and the visitor and researcher experience.

A Legacy Project

A cornerstone of The Huntington’s strategic plan, the LAB addresses critical needs—expanding storage, enhancing conservation capabilities, and increasing public and scholarly access—while reimagining how the Library and Art Museum collections intersect to foster scholarship, preservation, and engagement.

“This is a legacy project,” said Huntington Trustee J. Mario Molina, M.D. A collector of rare medical texts, Molina has been instrumental in generating support for the LAB—an investment in intellectual infrastructure that honors the past while preparing for the future. “It’s about creating something that will protect and celebrate our collections for the next 100 years.”

“Given that the original library was completed more than a century ago, the time has come for an upgrade,” added Trustee Christine Bender, a donor to the project alongside her husband, Ken Bender. “While it was built to the best standards of 1919, it’s not optimal now.”

Planned enhancements include high-security vaults, seismic reinforcements, advanced fire suppression systems, energy-efficient climate control, and restrooms that meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The new building will also include expanded, light-filled reader spaces for all researchers on the main floor of the LAB.

The initiative is essential to preserve The Huntington’s role as one of the world’s top independent research libraries. With more than 12 million rare books, manuscripts, photographs, prints, drawings, and ephemera, the Library welcomes thousands of researchers each year, including more than 175 Huntington-funded research fellows—the largest cohort in any humanities research program in the United States.

“The Library has always anchored The Huntington’s mission of knowledge and access,” said Sandra Brooke Gordon, Avery Director of the Library. “Now, we’re evolving that legacy with revitalized spaces designed for collaboration and a broader community of researchers.”

The Library will remain open to scholars during construction. Meanwhile, a new exhibition series, Stories from the Library, showcases treasures from the collections in the Huntington Art Gallery, underscoring the Library’s dynamic role in public engagement.

The Art Museum’s works on paper collection will be housed in the LAB alongside Library collections, and the building will include a study room for the Museum’s works on paper and a new exhibition hall dedicated to the Library’s history of science collections. Both the Library and the Art Museum will have staff working in the LAB, and half of The Huntington’s long-term research fellows will have LAB offices, providing opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“Housing the Museum’s works on paper and the Library’s collections under one roof will deepen scholarship and spark new forms of inquiry,” said Christina Nielsen, Hannah and Russel Kully Director of the Art Museum. “This kind of proximity will foster not only interdisciplinary research but also richer, more nuanced exhibitions.”

The LAB will also consolidate office space for curatorial, conservation, registration, and exhibition teams—streamlining workflows and enabling nimble, collaborative responses to new research and public programming opportunities.

“The Huntington has stood as a gift to the world and has been embraced by generations of neighbors, scholars, and visitors,” said Huntington neighbor Jerry Kohl, a donor to the project alongside his wife, Terri Kohl. “Just as Pasadena families invest in schools, parks, and hospitals, this project reflects a shared responsibility:  to care for what we’ve inherited and to strengthen it for those who come after us. The project offers many opportunities for collaboration and connection: collaboration among staff and among scholars and connection between the public and The Huntington’s collections.”

Expanding Engagement

In addition to integrating staff and collections, the LAB will transform how visitors and scholars experience The Huntington.

A new gallery, the Dibner Hall of Science, will replace the longtime “Beautiful Science” exhibition with “Worlds Unfolding,” an ambitious reinstallation that highlights The Huntington’s unparalleled holdings in science, medicine, and technology.

“This isn’t just about books under glass,” Molina said. “We’re creating a space where people can see, up close, the wonders of science and art on the page—side by side.”

The new reader spaces in the LAB will be beautiful areas that expand accommodations for researchers using reference or secondary collections. The Library exhibition halls in the LAB will provide opportunities for everyday visitors to engage with rare and specialized manuscripts, books, and photographs that open deep and nuanced stories about human relationships and relationships between people and the natural world. These public-facing improvements will expand access, promote inclusive scholarship, and support lifelong learning.

Access will also extend beyond academia. Today, many Huntington researchers—including writers, artists, and community historians—come from outside traditional scholarly institutions. The new facility will support this broader audience with accessible study areas and intuitive wayfinding.

Function Meets Vision

The LAB also solves longstanding structural and logistical challenges. “We’re solving a host of challenges,” said Trustee Simon Li, “and building not only for now but for the future.”

That future includes an 8,000-square-foot expansion of conservation studio capacity, with new purpose-built studios for paintings and objects preservation equipped for advanced imaging and scientific research. This will allow The Huntington to complete more delicate conservation work on-site and expand training opportunities through Mellon- and Getty-supported internships.

“People donate their collections to The Huntington because they know we have the scholars to study them and the ability to care for them,” Bender said. “So, we need to make sure we never run out of room.”

Century of Growth, Enduring Impact

The need for a facility like the LAB has become increasingly urgent. In the past decade alone, the Library’s holdings have grown from 8 million to more than 12 million items. The Art Museum’s collection has expanded from 35,000 to 44,000 works.

The LAB is both a response to this extraordinary growth and preparation for the future—advancing scholarship and stewarding cultural resources for generations to come. 

With work set to begin in spring 2026, The Huntington is nearing the close of its $126.6 million fundraising campaign. More than $100 million has already been committed by foundations and donors who recognize what the LAB’s enduring impact will be. Naming opportunities remain available, and gifts of all sizes are welcome.

“This is a project well worth supporting,” said June Li, founding curator of the Chinese Garden and a contributor, along with her husband Simon, to the LAB campaign. “It’s central to The Huntington’s mission—and to its next 100 years.”

When once asked whether he planned to write an autobiography, Henry E. Huntington replied: “This Library will tell the story; it represents the reward of all the work that I have ever done and the realization of much happiness.”

Once completed, the Library/Art Building will continue that story for the next century and beyond. 

For more information about how you can support this project, please contact Crystal Jones, assistant vice president for Advancement, at 626-405-2297 or cjones@huntington.org.

This story was published in the Winter 2025 issue of Momentum magazine.