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Houghton Library
Access to material may be restricted.
Access to material may be restricted.

Houghton Library

Address29, Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA, United States of America, 02138
Site Number586
Building Root Number 04931
Sponsor / Donor (Original)
Architect (Original)
Building Acquired 1942
Constructed 1942
Dedicated 1942
StatusActive
Site Name HistoryThe site is named for Arthur Amory Houghton Jr. (A.B. 1929), head of Steuben Glass, Corning Glass Works heir, Harvard benefactor, and New York philanthropist.Historical NotesHoughton Library was designed by Perry Shaw and Hepburn of Boston and completed in 1942. It serves as Harvard's primary repository for rare books and manuscripts. On the original architectural drawings it is called the Treasure Room Annex to Widener Library and was connected to the library via a bridge, which was removed in 2004. The building received the Harleston Parker Medal from the Boston Society of Architects in 1943 for being "the most beautiful piece of architecture, building, monument or structure within the limits of the City of Boston or of the Metropolitan Parks District". The construction was funded by a gift of Arthur Amory Houghton, Jr. (Harvard College class of 1929).
Additional Information
John Keats Room
Edison & Newman Room
Amy Lowell Room
Emily Dickinson Room
Green Room
Hyde Room
Appell Plaza
Burgess, Anna. “Users Give Houghton Renovation a Thumbs-Up.” The Harvard Gazette, September 30, 2021.
Metcalf, Keyes Dewitt. Planning Acdemic and Research Library Buildings. McGraw Hill, 1965.
General Information by and about Houghton Library. Harvard University Archives call number HUB 1457.
Brooks, Richard. Architectural Model of the Houghton Library. 1951. Houghton Library call number *2003M-52.
Houghton Library Additional Architectural Plans, 2000. [21 plans bound together: Phase III climate control renovations, "as builts." Thomas G. Gallagher contractor, Exergen Corporation, and Solomon & Bauer Architects Inc.] Houghton Library call number *2001M-68; A.
The Houghton Library. Cambridge, Mass., 1942. Available at multiple locations with various call numbers consult HOLLIS for details.
Amory, Hugh, Elizabeth Falsey, and Nancy Finlay. A Houghton Library Chronicle : 1942-1992. Cambridge, Mass., 1992.
Perry, Shaw and Hepburn. Architectural Plans for the Houghton Library, 1940-1941. Houghton Library call number MS Am 1964.
Houghton Library Architectural plans, 1941-1991. [Includes: Perry, Shaw, Hepburn 1941 plans (1 roll), Perry, Dean, Hepburn & Stewart 1967 2nd floor (Hyde Rooms) plans (2 rolls), Perry, Dean, Stewart 1969-1973 2nd floor (Hyde Rooms) plans (3 rolls), Thompson Engineering 1967 Fire and Smoke Detector plans (1 roll), Exergen HVAC Renovation Project plans, 1989-1991 (3 rolls), Perry, Dean, Rogers, and Partners 1991 Hyde Rooms plans (3 rolls), Douglas Okum and Associates 1991 Houghton Front Door plans (2 rolls), Hugh Stubbins 1972-1975 Pusey Library plans (2 rolls)]. Houghton Library call number 95M-37.
Sweet, Jacob. “‘A Sense of Belonging.’” Harvard Magazine, vol. 121, no. 5, May-June 2019, pp. 18–21.
“Harvard’s Air Conditioned Rare Book Library.” Architectural Record, vol. 91, no. 5, 1942, p. 32, usmodernist.org/AR/AR-1942-05.pdf.
"Architects of Library at Harvard Honored." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), May 05, 1943, pp. 3.
"New Harvard Library Gift of Glassmaker A. A. Houghton Jr." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), Jan 13, 1942, pp. 24.
“The Houghton Library of Rare Books.” Architectural Record, vol. 94, no. 1, 1943, p. 42, usmodernist.org/AR/AR-1943-07.pdf.
"Houghton Library, Acclaimed for Architecture, Earthquake Proof." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), May 09, 1943, pp. 1.
“Library at Harvard Is Gift of Houghton: Corning Glass Official Sponsors Housing of Rare Books.” New York Times, 1942, p. 17.
“Library Given To Harvard by A. A. Houghton: Building Provided by Son of Envoy Opens Feb. 28, Will House Rare Books.” New York Herald Tribune, 13 Jan. 1942, p. 17.
Knox, Sanka. “Houghton Library at Harvard Marks Its 25th Year.” New York Times, 1967, p. 48.
Monitor, William R. Frye Staff Writer of The Christian Science. “Harvard to Dedicate Ultra-Modern Houghton Rare Book Library: 100,000 Treasured Volumes Included in Rich Collection Sharp Contrast Pea Soup" Room.” The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 1942, p. 5.
“New Gate Outside Houghton Library Adds Another Story to Storied Harvard Yard.” University Wire, 14 Dec. 2020.
“Harvard Library Adds Building: New Structure to House Rare Books First of 4 to Divide 4,000,000 Collection.” New York Times, 1941, p. 42.
A Houghton Library Chronicle : 1942-1992 - Harvard University. Harvard College Library, 1992.
Doris, Annie C. “Donor’s Collection of Children’s Literature Sparks Houghton Library Renovations to Increase Accessibility.” University Wire, Uloop, Inc., 24 Jan. 2019.
“Harvard Rare Book Library Revealed Gift of Houghton.” The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jan. 1942, p. 2.
1938 winner of the Boston Society of Architects Harleston Parker Medal.
This building has been designated by the University Planning Office as having a Notable Interior.
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