A Once-In-A-Century Project: The Library/Art Building

During construction, the Library exhibition halls will be closed. However, The Huntington remains open and active, with 130 acres of botanical gardens, art galleries, exhibitions and programs, and rare Library materials on view across the campus.  

Visitor routes and experiences may change over time. Clear wayfinding and updates will be provided to help guests plan their visit. Staff and volunteers are available to answer questions or help orient visitors.  

Ticketing and parking operations are not expected to change as a result of construction. If adjustments become necessary, that information will be shared in advance. 

Construction activity will vary by phase. While some noise is unavoidable during certain weekday periods, efforts will be made to minimize disruption, and louder work will be scheduled thoughtfully when possible. Weekends will typically not be impacted by noise.  

Depending on the phase of construction, some areas of the gardens may be less affected by noise than others. Visitors may also wish to explore indoor experiences, including art galleries, exhibitions, and indoor programs. 

Protecting the campus and its collections, including the living collection, is a core priority. The project team is working closely with botanical, conservation, and facilities staff to monitor conditions and mitigate impacts throughout construction.

The Plan Your Visit page is the best source for current information about access, exhibitions, and the visitor experience. It will be updated regularly as conditions change. 

The LAB project is a once-in-a-century project that will restore the historic public-facing wing of the 1919 Library exhibition halls and modernize back-of-house spaces for today. While the Library exhibition halls are closed during construction, the Research Library remains open to readers and Research Fellows, and research services continue throughout the project. 

Library materials are still on view in art galleries and exhibitions.  

Questions about the Library’s collection or access to the Library should be directed to reference@huntington.org.

The completed Library/Art Building will preserve and restore the historic character of the 1919 Library exterior—the familiar south façade—and the Library exhibition halls while introducing new and modernized spaces designed to support research, conservation, and public engagement.

The LAB is an approximately 83,000-square-foot modernization that includes:

• An expanded conservation center for paintings and objects, increasing studio capacity by approximately 8,000 square feet
• A new Works on Paper Study Center that supports consultation, research, and display of the Art Museum’s 38,000 works on paper, which are rarely on view due to light sensitivity
• Modernized storage for Library and Art Museum collections, replacing outdated legacy book stacks
• New and improved spaces for readers, Research Fellows, and staff, including consultation areas, offices, and collaborative workspaces that support interdisciplinary exchange

The project is designed to honor the building’s historic public-facing exhibition spaces while significantly improving the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that supports long-term collections stewardship and scholarship.

The familiar south façade—the public entrance visitors know—will remain visually recognizable. The project focuses on conserving and repairing the historic exterior so it can endure long term. Existing architectural features such as the bronze entry doors and windows are planned to be retained and repaired in place where possible, and exterior finishes will be carefully matched to the current building. Accessibility improvements will also be incorporated so more visitors can comfortably enter the space.

The work is intended to support the building’s longevity while maintaining its historic appearance.

The LAB project directly advances The Huntington’s strategic priorities by expanding access to the Library and Art Museum collections and supporting interdisciplinary research, education, and public engagement.

By modernizing conservation, storage, and research infrastructure and creating new opportunities to integrate Library and Art collections, the project reinforces a cross-collection, or “One Huntington,” approach—ensuring that historic assets are preserved and adapted to serve present and future generations.

The project is being funded through restricted philanthropic support from foundations and individual donors. To date, more than $100 million has been committed in support of the project by donors who recognize its long-term impact and importance to The Huntington’s mission. Fundraising for the LAB project is nearing completion, and we anticipate reaching the full goal through continued donor engagement.

A wide range of Library materials remain on view across the campus through exhibitions and installations integrated into the art galleries.

These include the ongoing exhibition series “Stories from the Library” in the Huntington Art Gallery, rotating displays in the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art, and exhibitions such as “This Land Is…”.

Library materials on view include John James Audubon’s Birds of America, displayed in the monumental “double elephant folio” format that allowed Audubon to depict birds at life size. Visitors can also see a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and the first Bible translated into an Indigenous language and printed in what is now the United States, highlighting the depth and range of the Library’s collections.

This ongoing exhibition series presents rare Library materials through changing thematic lenses. Current presentations include “From Brontë to Butler,” featuring journal entries and manuscripts by Charlotte Brontë and Octavia E. Butler, and “Looking to Learn,” which explores the history of education through visual, printed, and manuscript materials from England and the United States.

Future rotations will continue throughout construction.

This major exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the American story through the lens of land, from before 1776 to the present day, using rare historic documents, manuscripts, photographs, and contemporary responses from The Huntington’s collections.

Exhibitions previously presented in the Library exhibition halls are not currently on view. However, important Library materials continue to be featured throughout the art galleries and in rotating exhibitions across the campus.

Yes. Preparations are underway for a major new permanent display of Library treasures to be showcased in the Library’s renovated Main Hall, scheduled to reopen to the public in spring 2029 as part of the completed project.

The “Beautiful Science” exhibition drew from the Library’s permanent collection of objects related to the history of science, one of the largest and most important such collections in North America.

A major new history of science exhibition is also in preparation. It is slated to debut in spring 2029 in a new exhibition space adjacent to the historic Main Hall.

The Gutenberg Bible is scheduled to be on view for six months as part of a future rotation of “Stories from the Library,” beginning in fall 2027.

The Huntington’s copy of The Canterbury Tales—known as the Ellesmere Chaucer—is not currently on view. However, it is fully digitized and available through the Huntington Digital Library, allowing visitors and researchers to explore it online.