Free admission and tours of exhibits related to literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts. Gutenberg Bible, Frida Kahlo, early photography, and more.

The Harry Ransom Center—originally named the Humanities Research Center—was founded in 1957 by Harry Huntt Ransom, a visionary English professor who rose through the ranks at The University of Texas to dean, vice president and provost, president, and eventually chancellor.

Whether you plan to tour the galleries, enjoy a notable speaker in our theater, or conduct research in our Reading Room, the Ransom Center's collections are a source of inspiration.

See rotating museum exhibitions in Austin, Texas, at the Harry Ransom Center on the University of Texas campus. Exhibits in Austin include The Gutenberg Bible, the Niepce Heliograph, and more.

The Ransom Center's extensive collections of manuscripts, rare books, photographs, artworks, and other materials document our cultural history and the creative process. Explore just a few highlights of the Center's collections here.

Hours - Exhibitions Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm Saturday–Sunday Noon–5pm Closed Mondays. Hours - Reading Room Monday–Saturday 9am–5pm Closed Sundays

RESEARCH SUPPORT: Fellowships are available to support residencies at the Ransom Center . CLASSROOM VISITS: Educators work with the Center to plan courses, seminars, and class visits.

Visitors to the Ransom Center have the opportunity to view one of Frida Kahlo's most iconic paintings: an untitled self-portrait known as Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird. The oil-on-canvas painting from 1940 is one of 55 self-portraits painted by the artist during her lifetime, and its format—featuring a head-and-shoulders ...

The Ransom Center will award 50 research fellowships for its 2025–26 program. Please view the individual residency types within the application instructions to determine the qualifications for each.

There are a variety of tools and techniques for searching Ransom Center collections. Start here and then access more specialized databases, finding aids and research guides.