Planning your library visit

We welcome visiting researchers by appointment.

We ask that researchers contact us at least two weeks before their visit, via our online request form, to ensure material is available for viewing. Please nominate your preferred date and time, include your reader's ticket number and details of the resources you wish to consult. All visiting researchers are required to have a current reader’s ticket. If you have not visited the library previously or your reader’s ticket has expired, please attach your signed reader’s ticket application with your request. Download the application form for a reader’s ticket.

The Research Library collection is not available for browsing. Part of our collection is stored offsite, and the time it takes it takes to retrieve materials varies. Staff require a minimum of two weeks’ notice to retrieve books and other materials. Archives and special collections materials may have additional access requirements.

Search our catalogue to identify items in our collection.

The Research Library & Archives is open Monday to Friday between 10am and 4.30pm (except public holidays).

Christmas/New Year closure: 24 December 2021 - 3 January 2022

Please note that your request is urgent on your enquiry form. While we will try and accommodate your request, the access conditions and location of the collection item will determine when it will be available for use.

Apply for a Reader's ticket form

Applications for a reader’s ticket are approved for research and professional purposes. Research and professional purposes include:

• practising artists
• staff of national collecting institutions
• other museums and galleries
• art historians, academics and higher degree students (honours, masters or PhD students preparing theses)
• teachers, journalists, designers, librarians

The access arrangements to the National Gallery Research Library and Archives have been developed to enable us to provide service on a national basis. It allows us to give the best possible service to those for whom the public, university, national or state libraries cannot provide what is needed.

If you are just beginning your research, we suggest that you contact your local public or State Library.

Anyone may make an appointment to use particular items not reasonably available elsewhere under the 'library of last resort' principle. The 'library of last resort' principle applies for specific titles if we hold the only reasonably accessible copy of a work.

We welcome visiting researchers by appointment. To book a time to visit the Research Library & Archives, please use our online request form.

We ask that researchers contact us at least two weeks before their visit to ensure material is available for viewing. Please nominate your preferred date and time, include your reader's ticket number and details of the resources you wish to consult. All visiting researchers are required to have a current reader’s ticket. If you have not visited the library previously or your reader’s ticket has expired, please attach your signed reader’s ticket application with your request. Download the application form for a reader’s ticket.

The Research Library collection is not available for browsing. Part of our collection is stored offsite, and the time it takes to retrieve materials varies. Staff require a minimum of two weeks’ notice to retrieve books and other materials. Archives may have additional special access requirements.

Search our catalogue to identify items in our collection.

The Research Library & Archives is open Monday to Friday between 10am and 4.30pm (except public holidays).

Christmas/New year closure: 24 December 2021 - 3 January 2022

You may bring a laptop, notebooks, pencils, a camera, and mobile phones. Pens are not permitted.

Please store coats, bags (larger than 30cm) and other belongings in the self-service lockers located in the Art Store on the Ground Floor of the Gallery.

No. All materials are for onsite use only.

Scanners and photocopiers are available for researchers to use. Costs apply. You may use your own camera or mobile phone to copy.

Copies and images may be used for private study and research purposes only. Any other use, including reproduction or publication, requires the permission of the copyright holder.

Rare or fragile printed materials, items in special collections and the Archives may have restricted copying conditions.