
New York, NY 10037
Day | Hours |
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Monday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Tuesday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Wednesday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Thursday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Friday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Saturday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Sunday | CLOSED |
Day | Date | Hours |
---|---|---|
Monday | 7/4 | CLOSED |
Tuesday | 7/5 | 10 AM–6 PM |
Wednesday | 7/6 | 10 AM–6 PM |
Thursday | 7/7 | 10 AM–6 PM |
Friday | 7/8 | 10 AM–6 PM |
Saturday | 7/2 | CLOSED |
Sunday | 7/3 | CLOSED |
Visit the Schomburg Center

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. The Shop will be closed for inventory Thursday, June 30 through Saturday, July 2.
Though there are no guided tours at this time, we are working diligently to restore this key service to visitors in summer 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.
Floor Space Becomes Wall Space for Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Exhibition

Photo: Lisa Herndon
M. Scott Johnson, a visual arts instructor with the Center’s Junior Scholars Program, had a challenge. How could he display the paintings of his students in the Center’s American Negro Theatre when there was already a current exhibition using the space and had pictures on the walls?
Inspired by his showing at the 59th Venice Biennale and Afro Haitian spiritual ceremonies, Johnson and his students displayed the one-day exhibition, Invasion, on the floor. By engaging the work through a new space, visitors could see the work through an overhead, encompassing perspective as they moved around the room. Learn more.
Tribute to an Afrofuturist Deity: Schomburg Center Artist & Educator M. Scott Johnson Exhibits at 59th Venice Biennale

Photos: Lisa Herndon and M. Scott Johnson
M. Scott Johnson, a visual arts and curatorial studies instructor with the Center’s Junior Scholars Program, is one of the artists featured in the 59th Venice Biennale, an invitation-only art exhibition in Italy. Find out the materials in the Center’s collections that inspired his triptych, The Metamorphosis of High John the Conqueror: Tribute to an Afrofuturist Deity. Learn more.
Schomburg Center Literary Festival

Our fourth annual Schomburg Center Literary Festival on June 18 continued the Center's long tradition of championing authors of African descent from across the globe and publications that celebrate Black history and culture.
Participating writers included Jason Reynolds (Stunt Boy, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Patina, Ghost) and Roxane Gay (Hunger, Bad Feminist, Difficult Women), and many more.
Pre-festival programming included “Critical Thought: An Evening of Selected Works by Greg Tate” and “The Black Librarian in America: Reflections, Resistance, and Reawakening.” Both are available to view online. All Literary Festival programs will be available to view at a later date. Learn more.
Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation is the Lead Sponsor of the Schomburg Center Literary Festival. Major sponsorship support is provided by Corbin Capital Partners, L.P.
In the Spotlight
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Arthur Ashe: Champion for Equality on & off the Tennis Courts
CNN recently aired the documentary Citizen Ashe, which looked at the activism, career, and life of Arthur Ashe. The Center is home to Ashe's archives if you are inspired to learn more about him. Our 2021 blog post discusses the photographs, audio/visual materials, personal papers, and more in his collections.
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Watch Past Spring 2022 Programs Online
If you missed our 10th Annual Black Comic Book Festival or would like to watch our Black Feminists Series again, those past programs—and more—are available to view online.
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Explore Past Schomburg Center Exhibitions and Multimedia Projects
If you missed past in person exhibitions such as Traveling While Black, Been Seen, or Showing Out, you can see them online. Plus, view past multimedia projects produced by students in our Junior Scholars Program such as 'Til We Free and By Any Means Necessary.
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Open Now! Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures
NYPL's first-ever permanent exhibition is now open at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, featuring items from our historic collections. Reserve your free timed tickets now!
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Sign up for Schomburg Connection
Get updates on our public programs, research guides, and more in our e-newsletter.
Featured at the Schomburg Center
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Visit the Schomburg Shop
The Schomburg Shop is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 AM to 5 PM for in-person shopping. Or, you can shop online.
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From Our Blog
Read blog posts from the librarians, staff, and fellows at the Schomburg Center.
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Public Programs
The Schomburg Center advances knowledge of the global Black experience through dynamic programs and exhibitions.
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Digital Schomburg
Access exhibitions, podcasts, videos, books, images, and more about the global Black experience 24/7.
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Support the Schomburg Center
Schomburg Society members receive discounts, invitations to exclusive events, and more!
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In the News
Read news stories featuring interviews with Schomburg Center curators, librarians, and staff.
Current Exhibitions
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We Were Beautiful Then, Too: Late 19th Century African American Cabinet Cards
OngoingSchomburg Center for Research in Black CultureIn the 19th century, African Americans harnessed the power of photography to claim a self-possessed identity in line with middle class…
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Been Seen
OngoingSchomburg Center for Research in Black CultureHighlighting the work of Harlem-based photographer Austin Hansen (1910 -1996) and the experiences of Black photographers to illuminate the… -
Boundless: 10 Years of Seeding Black Comic Futures
OngoingSchomburg Center for Research in Black CultureThe exhibition celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s Black Comic Book Festival and…
About the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences. As a research division of The New York Public Library, the Schomburg Center features diverse programming and collections spanning over 11 million items that illuminate the richness of global Black history, arts, and culture.
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