The Duchess Anna Amalia Library is a publicly accessible archive and research library for European literary and cultural history with a special focus on the period between 1750 and 1850. In the tradition of a princely library, it has collections from the 9th to the 21st century, which are continuously supplemented, developed, and made accessible with current research literature.

Over 1 million media are available for borrowing and use, around 150,000 volumes can be used and borrowed on-site in the open-access area of the study center.

The Historical Library Building with the famous Rococo Hall as part of the ensemble "Classical Weimar" is visited by around 100,000 people per year.