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—5:30 PM, Monday to Saturday. Plus, see our outdoor banner exhibition, We Were Beautiful Then, Too: Late 19th Century African American Cabinet Cards at St. Nicholas Park in Harlem. 

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—5:45 PM.

Though there are no guided tours at this time, we are working diligently to restore this key service to visitors in fall 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. 

With over 11 million items in our archives, our collections preserve and document the works of activists, authors, artists, historians, and scholars across the African diaspora, including those who identify as Latinx and Afro Latinx.

Schedule a research appointment to explore our materials. Plus, explore resources online.

Watch the only feature-length film directed by Cuba’s first female filmmaker Sara Gómez. Through the lens of Rómulo Lachatañeré, view poignant photographs capturing the everyday lives of Puerto Ricans and African Americans in Harlem and East Harlem. Experience Cubism and Surrealism from an oppressed person's perspective with Wifredo Lam’s lithographs. Read the materials of our founder Arturo Schomburg. Plus, study the writings of Dr. Vanessa K. Valdés. Learn more.

Get ready for an all-new season of public programs at the Schomburg Center! The fall 2022 season kicks off with our Conversations in Black Freedom Studies series featuring celebrated scholars Drs. Keisha N. Blain, Erica R. Edwards, and Treva B. Lindsey. Critically acclaimed actors Wendell Pierce and Sharon D. Clarke and award-winning author and journalist April Ryan are also some of the headliners for upcoming events. Here’s a first look at our schedule. Learn more. 

“Historically, women artists are underrepresented in any museum worldwide, but Black women appear even less,” said Tammi Lawson, the Center’s curator of the Art and Artifacts Division. The division added works by Kimberly M. Becoat (Planting Seeds in the Break a Dawn-Sunflower Hours), Barbara Jones-Hogu (One People Unite), and Helina Metaferia (Crown, After Empress Menen) to its collections. The acquisitions are part of an initiative to identify, collect, and preserve artwork by emerging and established Black women. Learn more. 

Are you a postdoctoral scholar, independent researcher, or creative writer who is interested in studying at the Schomburg Center? Apply to our Scholars-in-Residence Program. It offers long-term and short-term fellowships designed to support and encourage research and writing on the history, politics, literature, and culture of the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora. The deadline is Thursday, December 1. Learn more.