It has approximately 400,000 volumes and ranks among Germany's leading institutions specializing in the literature of Art History.

The library is located on the Kulturforum in Berlin-Tiergarten, Germany and attracts 35,000 visitors annually.

Since June 2004, the collection has held exhibitions under the same roof as the Helmut Newton Foundation at the Museum of Photography opposite the Zoologischer Garten station.

After a complete restoration of the Kaisersaal, the Art Library Photographic Collection now has its own exhibition space.

Selections of works from the library's many other collections are regularly presented in special exhibitions.