Research and Learning

The Huntington is a collections-based research and educational institution serving scholars and the general public. Each year, The Huntington:

• Provides 1,700 scholars with access to a world-class collection of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, paintings, prints, sculpture, and decorative arts
• Awards $2.1 million in fellowships to scholars for advanced humanities research
• Educates thousands of schoolchildren and their teachers in art, history, literature, and botanical science through special tours, programs, and professional development
• Supports partnerships and institutes furthering research in the humanities
• Organizes special exhibitions and programming to enhance the visitor experience, interpret the collections, and facilitate life-long learning for more than 800,000 visitors annually

Only a small portion of the collections are on view to the public, but the collections are vast and represent three main collection areas; library collections, art collections, and botanical collections.

Research and Scholars

The Huntington's Library is an independent research center for the humanities that welcomes advanced researchers from all over the world. Researchers from over 30 countries visit every year to study the Library's collection of rare books, manuscripts, maps, photographs and other textual and graphic materials important for the study of British and American history and literature, the history of science and technology, and the history of the book. Researchers studying the art collections will find notable British and American paintings; innumerable fine prints and photographs; and an art reference library. The Botanical Gardens reference library includes a broad collection of reference works in botany, horticulture, and gardening, as well as living collections. We welcome qualified researchers (known as readers at The Huntington) and scholars on fellowship, and provide them access to our reading room and collections. Access to the reading room and our materials can only be granted to registered readers. More on Using the Library

Call for Papers - An Overflow of Meaning: Reading and Re-Reading Hilary Mantel
Hilary Mantel is one of the most critically acclaimed authors working today, credited with unprecedented double Booker Prize wins for Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. Papers 35-40 minutes in length are sought on any aspect of Mantel’s output. Deadline: 6 p.m., July 31, 2020. Details and instructions for submission 

Fellowships

Through a rigorous peer-review program, the institution awards approximately 200 fellowships to scholars in the fields of history, literature, art, and the history of science. Scholarly pursuits lead to best-selling books, Pulitzer Prizes, acclaimed documentary films, and many of the history and social studies textbooks that educate the nation's school children.
More about Fellowships

Educators

The Huntington provides extensive resources to augment and complement classroom curriculum, and meet local, state, and national academic standards in a variety of subjects. Our programming for teachers includes field trips, workshops, institutes, online lesson plans and resources. Join our email list  to receive updates on teacher development opportunities and new resources. More for Educators

Research Institutes

The Huntington has established two collaborative research centers in partnership with the University of Southern California. The first, the USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute (EMSI) supports research on the historical development of European and Atlantic societies between 1450 and 1850. The second, the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West (ICW) brings together historians and other scholars, students, writers, journalists, and policymakers to investigate and debate the rich history of California and the American West.

Additionally, long-standing partnerships with faculty in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences at Caltech have led to the creation of an informal research institute known as Caltech Huntington Humanities Collaborations (CHHC).

Conferences and Lectures

The Huntington hosts a number of academic conferences, lectures in the humanities, and programs annually, recruiting notable conveners and scholars. Guidelines for proposals are available for scholars interested in convening conferences which reflect or build upon the strength of the collections held in the institution.