The Metropolitan Museum of Art to Redesign the Nolen Study Room in Its Thomas J. Watson Library

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today the redesign of the Nolen Study Room located in the Thomas J. Watson Library. The space, which is accessible to the public, will house approximately 5,000 books reflecting the scope of The Met’s collection on new open and browsable shelves. The new design will also enable a flexible and multipurpose space that can be reconfigured beyond a reading room to accommodate classes, presentations, seminars, and programs for students and Museum visitors. The Museum has selected the New York & Los Angeles–based design firm Young & Ayata for the $3 million, 1,000-square-foot project. Watson Library and Museum Archives will close to the public on October 29, and the new spaces are scheduled to open in late spring 2026.

“Watson Library is an incredibly vital resource for the public as well as Met staff and volunteers, and this important renovation of the library’s Nolen Study Room will provide innovative and refreshing design to complement the incredible collection of art publications, catalogues, ephemera and more,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO. “We are thrilled to work with Young & Ayata on this special project, and their design will make this enhanced space a jewel among The Met’s libraries and research centers.”

Ken Soehner, Arthur K. Watson Chief Librarian, said, "The renovation and design project is an exceptional opportunity for the library. The plans evoke optimism for the future and reflect our commitment to providing a more welcoming, comfortable, and inspiring environment for library researchers and staff"

The Nolen Study Room will replace Watson Library’s former Periodical Room. The circulation desk will also be redesigned to create a more inviting space for library visitors. The renovation will introduce architectural and design elements that honor and reinterpret the existing mid-century modern aesthetic. The original wood shelving will be preserved and reimagined into wall panels milled with a pattern inspired by traditions of paper marbling.

Young & Ayata is a design/research practice based in New York and Los Angeles focusing on working through a range of mediums on the challenges and potentials of the built environment. Both of the firm’s principals teach as tenured professors and view educational engagement as crucial to the continual expansion of architectural ideas.

Young & Ayata said, “As so much of our daily access to information has moved to online platforms, the extraordinary resources available to the public through the collection of Watson Library remind us how wonderful it is to explore physical material in the spaces of library reading rooms. We are thrilled to have a modest contribution to the ever-evolving architectural character of The Met and hope to create an inspirational atmosphere for scholars and members of the broader public invested in learning through the library’s collection.”

The Thomas J. Watson Library renovation project is made possible by many generous donors. The Met is fortunate and grateful to have such a devoted community of supporters.

About the Thomas J. Watson Library
Thomas J. Watson Library is the research library of The Met and is one of the world’s most comprehensive art libraries with more than one million volumes. Watson Library, located on the Museum’s first floor, was designed by Brown, Lawford and Forbes in 1962 and opened in 1965. The library’s holdings reflect the global and encyclopedic nature of The Met with books ranging in date from the late 15th century to current scholarship, in all fields covered by The Met. Last year, Watson Library added more than 15,000 titles in 65 languages, and the library features rotating exhibitions that highlight its collection as well as new acquisitions.

The library’s mission is to support the research activities of the Museum staff and to offer access and outstanding services to an international community of students and scholars.

About The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met presents art from around the world and across time for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

###