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For one night, the Library opens its vaults. Explore rarely accessible, reference-only books and images—art manuals, botanical illustrations, ship diagrams, landmark photographs and more—and use them directly as inspiration for tattoo designs. 

Collections to Explore 

• Art & Typography: Ornate letterforms, historic typefaces and specimens from the Harrison Collection 
• Botanical Prints: Exquisite renderings of plants, insects and natural forms 
• Landmark Photographs: Striking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Sutro Tower and beyond 
• Etchings & Symbolic Imagery: Allegorical figures, mythical creatures and motifs rarely pulled from the stacks 
• Unexpected Sources: Inspiration hidden in archives you might not expect 

Move between two spaces—the 4th Floor Art, Music & Recreation Center and the 6th Floor outside the San Francisco History Center / Book Arts & Special Collections. Pull books from the shelves, sketch freely at design stations and talk with archivists and artists about creative process and responsible use of archival material. 

This program is presented in connection with Living Tattoo Traditions: American Irezumi and Beyond, on view in the Jewett Gallery, through Mar 1, 2026.