Worcester Art Museum Library & Archives

Since its founding in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum has assembled a collection of 38,000 objects: from the ancient Near East and Asia, to European and American paintings and sculptures, and continuing with works by contemporary artists from around the world. WAM has a history of making large scale acquisitions, such as its Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, its 15th-century Spanish ceiling, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. In 2013, the Museum acquired the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, comprising two thousand arms and armor objects. It continues to commission and present new works, such as 2017’s installation of the interactive Reusable Universes and Organic Concept works by Shi Chieh Huang.

The Museum Library, founded in 1909, is dedicated to the study and enjoyment of the history of art by collecting resources in support of the Museum's mission, exhibitions, and permanent collections. The Library is managed in association with the College of the Holy Cross, a collaboration that began in 2001.

The Museum Archives is co-managed by the Museum Librarian and the Museum Registrar. The Archives hold the institutional history of the Museum and includes materials in a range of media formats.