Research library & archive
The Sculpture Research Library is part of the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, and offers unparalleled access to material on sculpture.
We welcome readers to explore this unique reference resource, and study sculpture in our beautifully designed reading rooms.
The library and archive are free to use and all visitors are welcome.
Opening times
Sculpture Research Library
The extensive library collections at the Henry Moore Institute cover sculpture internationally, with a particularly strong focus on British artists.
Open Tuesday to Friday, 10:00–17:00 & Saturday 13:00–17:00
Archive of Sculptors’ Papers
The working lives of hundreds of sculptors are captured in our rich and fascinating collections of photographs, letters, drawings and sketchbooks.
Open Tuesday to Friday by prior appointment only
What’s in the library & archive collections?
With more than 30,000 books, journals and unique holdings of sculptors’ ephemera, our library and archive are outstanding resources for the study of sculpture.
Please contact the library in 24 hours in advance if you wish to consult closed access material (including Special Collections and Journals).
Books & exhibition catalogues
The extensive library collections at the Henry Moore Institute cover sculpture internationally, with a particularly strong focus on British artists.
Journals & online resources
Over 30 current art journals are available to browse, alongside back issues of many specialist journals and key online databases such as JSTOR and Art Full Text.
Audio-visual library
Our outstanding audio-visual collection holds around 500 films and documentaries, as well as interviews with sculptors taken from National Life Stories.
Our unique resources
Some of our library & archive holdings can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
Archive of Sculptors’ Papers
The working lives of hundreds of sculptors are captured in their photographs, letters, drawings and sketchbooks, alongside film, digital records and even tools and costume.
Research library special collections
The library has a significant collection of rare books, catalogues and journals from the 19th century through to the present day.
Library displays
We use a display space in the library to show highlights from our collection, including small scale sculpture, works on paper, rare books and archival material.
New acquisitions
We regularly add to our library collections with new publications about sculpture.
Contact us
Please get in touch using the form below if you’d like to discuss visiting the archive or library.
Getting here
Henry Moore Institute
74 The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AH
United Kingdom
T: 01132 467 467
E: institute@henry-moore.org
