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Libraries and Museums

Mansueto Library paper model
Make your own mini-Mansueto!

The University of Chicago Library has six locations on campus, holding over 11 million printed and electronic volumes. The University Library also has borrowing privileges with several other archives, museums, and libraries in the area, including the Art Institute of Chicago Library, the Chicago History MuseumFermilab, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Newberry Library.

The University’s three museums and numerous other galleries and exhibits are also noteworthy for their archival resources and opportunities for students to be involved in curating exhibitions, acting as docents, and archiving materials.

The Joseph Regenstein Library

Located just to the north of the Main Quad, the Regenstein Library, affectionately called “the Reg,” is the busiest and most action-packed of our six libraries. Students can collaborate together in an all-night study space or in a private study room, or find a quiet nook in the seven floors of stacks for independent work. The Reg also hosts classes and study groups, and the first floor is home to Ex Libris, one of many student-run coffee shops.

Joe and Rika Mansueto Library

Visible above ground is Mansueto's stunning glass-domed reading room, a delightful workspace in any season. Under the feet of students studying there are five stories of high-density shelving containing 3.5 million books and journals, retrieved within minutes upon request by five gigantic, robotic cranes.

Harper Memorial Library
Harper Memorial Library

William Rainey Harper Memorial Library

Home to a beautiful reading room open 24 hours, the Arley D. Cathey Learning Center in Harper Library features work tables, comfortable armchairs, and a student-run cafe.

John Crerar Library

Crerar anchors the Science Quad and is home to all science journals and books in biology and physics. Students pass by the Media Arts, Data, and Design Center (MADD Center) on their way to the group study rooms, study carrels, and reading tables found on each floor.

D’Angelo Law Library

The recently renovated D’Angelo Law Library is a convenient study spot for students who live in the two adjacent residence halls just steps away.

Eckhart Library

Located on the second floor of the math building, Eckhart Library is easily our smallest and most adorable library. It contains mathematical journals and texts, as well as books on computer science and statistics.

Students and visitors explore the Smart Museum of Art in Hyde Park.
Students and visitors explore the Smart Museum of Art in Hyde Park.

Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa (ISAC), long recognized as a pioneer in the archaeology and history of the ancient Near East, holds an impressive collection of Near Eastern artifacts and the largest collection of Egyptian art and artifacts outside of Egypt. The Institute also runs archaeological excavations in which students can participate.

Smart Museum of Art

The Smart Museum of Art holds a striking collection curated by students and faculty and is free to the public. Its permanent collection spans five millennia, including works by Degas, Rodin, Veronese, Diego Rivera, and Mark Rothko.

Renaissance Society

The Renaissance Society is a world-renowned contemporary art gallery providing free exhibitions and performances.