Kitty King Powell Library & Study Center
The Kitty King Powell Library and Study Center at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is one of the leading centers in the nation for resources about American art and decorative arts
About
Second-floor balcony of the Kilroy Center with a view into the Kitty King Powell Library and Study Center. Photograph © Aker Zvonkovic Photography
The Kitty King Powell Library and Study Center at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is one of the leading centers in the nation for resources about American art and decorative arts of the 17th through 19th centuries. With over 11,000 books, periodical volumes, and auction catalogues, the non-circulating collection assists students, researchers, collectors, and the general public interested in the history of American material culture, including furniture, ceramics, metals, glass, and textiles. Located in Bayou Bend's Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center, the library and reading room offer a light-filled space with views of the surrounding landscape. The Powell Library is a branch of the MFAH Hirsch Library.
Hours
Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday, 12 noon–5 p.m.
Closed Sunday and Monday.
Closed all MFAH staff holidays and the Saturday of these holiday weekends:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Easter; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; and New Year’s Day.
Location
The Powell Library is on the second floor of Bayou Bend's
Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center,
6003 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77007. Parking is free.
Online Catalog
The collections of both the Hirsch Library at the MFAH and the Powell Library at Bayou Bend are searchable through the libraries' online catalog, available here.
Copy Facilities
A copy machine is available in the reading room; 25 cents for black and white; $1 for color.
Payment in cash or check.
Services
The Powell Library offers reference service, including research assistance, and a reading room for your convenience.
Upon request, books can be transferred between the Hirsch and Powell Libraries for the convenience of researchers.