The Walters Art Museum holds a world-renowned Rare Books and Manuscripts Collection that includes almost 900 beautifully illuminated manuscripts (hand written and decorated texts), about 1,300 incunabula (the first printed books made before 1500), and around 2,000 rare books (printed after 1500). The collection contains codices from around the world and spans over 1,000 years, from the 9th to the 20th century. Highlights of the collection include Ethiopian and Byzantine Gospel books, French and Flemish Books of Hours, and masterpieces from the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman Empires. 

The Walters Ex Libris website currently displays 431 Manuscripts, 8174 Illuminated Folios, and 135626 Folios.

Because digitization is an ongoing process, some of these exceptional works have yet to be published on this site. The Walters has digitized over half of its manuscripts and looks forward to continuing this work. Some codices are unable to be imaged due to extreme fragility, inordinately large or small sizes, or a combination of both.

Search manuscripts by clicking here.