Tours & Programs
Gallery Talks
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies, also known as the Second Folio, 1632, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Masterson Book Collection, Rienzi.
Pierre Pomet, A Compleat History of Druggs, 1712.
Pierre Pomet, A Compleat History of Druggs, 1712.
Hirsch Library staff members highlight significant books in the Museum’s collections.
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies (1632)
One of the most acclaimed books in the English language, this rare volume—also known as the “Second Folio”—preserved William Shakespeare’s artistry and elevated his legacy to canonical status. In celebration of Shakespeare's birthday, Jon Evans, chief of libraries and archives, gives a talk at Rienzi, the MFAH house museum for European decorative arts.
A Compleat History of Druggs by Pierre Pomet (1712)
This intriguingly titled 18th-century medical reference was a breakthrough. Filled with engravings of animals, spices, minerals, plants, and exotic locations that author Pierre Pomet collected during his extensive travels, it also became a popular book widely read for pleasure. Find out more from Rebekah Scoggins, public service and instruction librarian.
Meet the Books: Hirsch Library Exhibition Tours
Hirsch Library
Edgardo Antonio Vigo, Hexagono ’71, La Plata, Argentina, 1971–75, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Hirsch Library.
Wiener Secession, XIV. Ausstellung der Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs Secession Wien: Klinger Beethoven : April-Juni 1902, Wien, 1902, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Hirsch Library, Museum purchase funded by the Design Council.
With thousands of books on art to choose from, the Hirsch Library also offers engaging exhibitions featuring materials from the Rare Books Collection! These exhibitions, often organized by library staff, highlight recent acquisitions, exquisitely illustrated books, and rare printed matter.
Past Hirsch Library Events
“Art+Feminism” Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon
Suzanne McClelland, printed by (Master) Douglas Volle, Scott Smith and Lorena Salcedo-Watson, published by Universal Limited Art Editions, 3:00, 1996, lithograph and screenprint in colors on paper, edition 20/35, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Dr. and Mrs. Clive Fields. © Suzanne McClelland.
“Art+Feminism” Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon
The Art+Feminism campaign started in response to a 2011 survey that revealed fewer than 10% of contributors on Wikipedia were women. The initiative seeks to change that statistic by ensuring that women are voices in the preservation of history.
Adding a Beat: Hirsch Library Project
This individual site-specific performance, conceived by Core Program critic Hanna Yoo, invited eight Houston-based artists to intervene in the Hirsch Library in conjunction with the 2014 Core Exhibition.
Awards for Emerging Scholars in Object-Based Learning
Students at the Museum’s Hirsch Library.
MFAH curator Mari Carmen Ramírez teaches a class at the University of Houston.
May 4, 2021
The MFAH and the University of Houston present the inaugural Awards for Emerging Scholars in Object-Based Learning. The awards recognize research demonstrating excellence in the methods of object-based scholarship. The winners presented their papers and received their awards during this livestreamed ceremony.
Hiram Butler and Andrew Spindler-Roesle have generously provided funds to underwrite the awards.
ArTrivia Night
April 4, 2020
Hirsch Library hosts the first-ever ArTrivia night. No need to be an art historian, although a general knowledge of art history may give you a leg up. Many questions relate to current exhibitions, so arrive early to see what’s on view. Work in teams, or brave the quiz solo.
The MFAH Hirsch Library is generously endowed through the Estates of Winifred and Maurice Hirsch.