Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research libraries, is a world-leading cultural institution devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.

To learn about the Center’s research divisions, schedule an appointment, or find out about other services, see our resources for researchers. Please note: Division hours may vary. 

Explore our exhibitions Been Seen and Boundless: 10 Years of Seeding Black Comic Futures. Both are open 10 AM—4:30 PM, Monday to Saturday.

Visit the Schomburg Shop to see clothing, jewelry, and books for all ages created by Black and Brown artists. It's open Tuesday to Saturday 11 AM—5 PM.

Though there are no guided tours at this time, we are working diligently to restore this key service to visitors in spring 2022. Please continue to check this page and the Schomburg Tours page for updates and more information.

Masks are strongly recommended in the Schomburg Center and all NYPL locations. 

The Schomburg Center Literary Festival: Reading the African Diaspora expands the center's long tradition of championing authors of African descent from across the globe and publications that celebrate Black history and culture. On Saturday, June 18, we will reconvene our community of book lovers and their favorite authors for our annual outdoor literary festival.

Acclaimed authors participating include Jason Reynolds (Stunt Boy, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Patina, Ghost), Roxane Gay (Hunger, Bad Feminist, Difficult Women), journalist Linda Villarosa (Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation) and Mateo Askaripour (Black Buck) and more. Poet Mahogany L. Browne (Chlorine Sky, Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice, Woke Baby, and Black Girl Magic: A Poem) will open the 135th Street stages with her curated Woke Baby Children’s Festival featuring readings, music, movement, and craft-making.

See our schedule of events. Learn more.

The Schomburg Center Literary Festival is generously sponsored by Corbin Capital.

The Schomburg Center is hosting the statue, To Sit Awhile, from Monday, June 13—Saturday, June 18. Created by Alison Saar on behalf of The Lillys, the artwork is part of a national tour promoting the life, work, and legacy of the history-making playwright.

The Schomburg Center is home to the Lorraine Hansberry collections. Materials include her journals, photos, unpublished works, and more. Learn more.

In HBO's The Gilded Age, the character Peggy Scott is an aspiring writer and the daughter of a successful Black pharmacist who lives in a thriving Black community in Brooklyn. Peggy’s story gives us a glimpse into this lesser known history of America’s Black elite. If the television show has inspired you to learn more about this period, check out these book picks. Learn more.