The Harry Ransom Center is a major library archive and museum located at the University of Texas at Austin, holding world-renowned collections of literary artifacts and volumes from Europe and the United States. The collections that would eventually comprise the Center's holdings were originally acquired by Harry Ransom, the founder of the university's Humanities Research Center, in 1957. Today, the Center is home to more than 36 million significant literary manuscripts, along with major collections of rare books, photographs, and classic and contemporary works of art. Prominent works held within the collection include a rare Gutenberg Bible and Nicéphore Niépce's View from the Window at Le Gras, known as the world's oldest photograph. Students and visitors may access the library for free after a brief informational training and registration process, though visitors should note that some collections are not accessible by the public due to their fragile nature.
The Harry Ransom Center, 300 W 21st St, Austin, TX 78712