Central Catalog
Note: The Central Catalog does not handle image rights or reproduction requests. For all such requests, please contact The Image Library.
The Central Catalog, which is administered by Watson Library, maintains the object records for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection (with the exception of The Egyptian Art Department, The Robert Lehman Collection, prints from the Department of Drawings and Prints, and the Department of Photographs). The contributing Museum departments provide object records with some or all of the following information: object description, exhibitions in which the object has appeared since acquisition by the Museum, curatorial notes, bibliographic references, and locations in previous collections.
Email Central Catalog with the name and accession number of the object you would like information about, and we will scan and email the information to you within one week. If you prefer, the information can be photocopied and left for pickup at the Registration Desk of Watson Library. The Central Catalog is also open to researchers by appointment.
Click here for: A guide to interpreting bibliographical references in the Central Catalog
The Metropolitan Museum of Art does not guarantee that object information or bibliography obtained from the Central Catalog files is up to date or complete.
Public Hours: by appointment
Staff Hours: Monday 10:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
Telephone: 212-650-2312
Email: central.catalog@metmuseum.org
