HMML is located on the campus of Saint John's Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota, a nexus of spirituality, labor, scholarship, art, and nature. The campus is situated on the edge of more than 2,500 acres of mixed prairie, oak savanna, oak and hardwood forest, conifer forest, lakes, and wetlands that are managed by Saint John's Abbey Arboretum.

The Arboretum is open to the public, and HMML fellows and visiting scholars have access to campus recreation and outdoor equipment centers. The campus is also home to The Saint John's Bible, the Liturgical Press, Saint John's Abbey Woodworking and Organ Builders, the Saint John's Pottery, the Collegeville Institute, and more.

Saint John’s is located in rural central Minnesota, about 1.5–2 hours away (by car) from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The nearest city, St. Cloud, is about 25 minutes away (by car). The nearest town, St. Joseph, is about 7 minutes away (by car) and has a grocery store, shopping, and dining available.

There are different housing options depending on whether you are arriving as a HMML fellow or a self-funded visiting scholar. Please read the options carefully.

On-Campus

All on-campus housing options have access to shared laundry facilities.

• Emmaus Hall on Saint John’s campus. (Dormitory: $25 per night). Only available to HMML-funded fellows (Carpenter, Swenson, or Heckman)
• Abbey Guesthouse on Saint John’s campus. (Single occupancy rooms: $85–$95 per night)
• Studium on the campus of Saint Benedict Monastery and the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. (Apartment with full kitchen: $65 per night; availability limited)

Off-Campus

There are a few hotels in the St. Joseph and St. Cloud area. It is advised you have access to a car if staying at any of these locations:

• Estates Bed and Breakfast
• Hampton Inn
• Hilton Garden Inn
• Residence Inn

Consult a map of the area’s lodging with further information.

Visiting fellows and scholars, as well as their families, are invited to enjoy the recreational facilities, grounds, sporting and cultural events, libraries, and other amenities of the Saint John’s campus.

HMML’s partnership with the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB/SJU) extends the following privileges to scholars:

• Borrowing privileges with Alcuin Library and Clemens Library.
• Use of physical education facilities in the Warner Palaestra Building (including the swimming pool, gymnasium, weight room, and racquetball courts) and the Lake Sagatagan Beach, both located on Saint John’s campus (learn more).
• Admittance to athletic events, concerts, plays, lectures, and other cultural events at CSB/SJU (some events have an admission charge).

HMML is located in Alcuin Library, the main university library for SJU. Fellows and scholars can access their study rooms whenever the Alcuin Library is open.

Academic Year Library Hours:
Monday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m.–12 a.m. (midnight)
Friday: 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 12 a.m. (midnight)

* Summer/holiday hours differ from regular academic year hours. Please check the Alcuin Library site for an updated schedule.

HMML is staffed Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

HMML is closed for winter break to all fellows and visiting scholars every year from December 17 to January 15.

Applicants from outside the United States are encouraged to apply for HMML fellowships and as visiting scholars. In order for HMML staff to fully support visiting researchers, fluency in spoken English is required.

HMML cannot provide sponsorship for visas. We recommend using VisaWizard to determine the specific requirements for your travel.

HMML strongly encourages international visitors to ensure that their visa and documentation are prepared and complete before arriving in the United States.

Address:

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library
2835 Abbey Plaza
Collegeville, MN 56321-7300 USA
Directions
(Located on the campus of Saint John’s Abbey and University.)

Driving:

If you are driving to HMML, take the “Saint John’s University” Exit (#156) off I-94. At the top of the ramp, turn south (left, if coming from I-94E) onto County Road 159, and stay on this road until you reach the campus. At the four-way stop, continue straight until you reach the Abbey Plaza parking lot.

HMML is located opposite Saint John’s Abbey church, inside Alcuin Library. Follow the signs inside Alcuin Library to find HMML on the lower level.

Flying:

If you are flying, you will fly into the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport (MSP). From MSP, there are both shuttle and rental car options. Please allow 90 minutes to two hours of drive time to arrive at HMML.

Groome Transportation runs a shuttle service between the airport and Saint John’s University. The shuttle drops off at the Abbey Church, located across the street from Alcuin Library and HMML. If possible, it is best to call Groome directly when using an international card payment.

Given the rural location, there is very limited access to public transportation. For this reason, we recommend that you bring a car if possible. However, if this is not an option, there is limited bus service (“Link Shuttle Bus”) to local areas. Taxi, Uber, and Lyft drivers are increasingly available, but limited.

HMML is located about 10 minutes by car from the nearest grocery store, and about 15 minutes by car from the nearest shopping mall. There is a regional hospital in St. Cloud (20–25 minutes away).

Link Shuttle Bus:

CSB/SJU provide a free bus service—called “The Link”—between the two campuses in Collegeville and St. Joseph. This bus service runs continually during class time and on an easy-to-remember schedule during the evenings and weekends. The bus takes about 10 minutes to go between the two locations. This service is available, free of charge, to HMML fellows and visiting scholars.

The Link bus schedule.

Please note that the summer bus schedule is not as frequent and runs in the morning, midday, and evening.

Car Rental:

Multiple car rental companies are available at the MSP Airport. Options and further information can be found online.

Most major car rental companies can be found in St. Cloud.

Vehicles cannot be rented by fellows or scholars from CSB/SJU.

For fellows living in Emmaus Hall, there are shared kitchens available for cooking your own meals. The closest grocery store to SJU is about 15 minutes away by car, and transportation options are very limited without a personal vehicle. Limited grocery supplies are found in the Mini-Mart and the Spirit Shop, both located in Sexton Commons at Saint John’s.

For those looking for an on-campus food option, SJU has an on-campus dining hall, The Refectory, which offers buffet-style meals. Meals of the Refectory range from $10–$15. There is also Sexton Commons Dining, which offers mostly pre-packaged or quick meals and snacks.

Where to Eat on Campus—has information about dining hours and locations.

Sexton Commons also has a 24/7 Mini-Mart with a small selection of food and beverages, and the CSB/SJU Spirit Store has a small selection of food items, personal hygiene products, stationery, and clothing.

Visiting scholars and fellows need to bring their own laptop computers, iPads, or tablets. HMML has wireless internet, as does much of Saint John’s campus.

If required for your research, microfilm readers are available in the private studies available for the duration of your visit.

Each fellow must have health insurance when visiting HMML. Proof of insurance is required before arrival. We cannot advise on health insurance policies.

Saint Cloud Hospital is a major regional medical center, located 35 minutes (by car) from HMML.

As a visiting scholar, you have access to collections at SJU Alcuin, CSB Clemens, and SJU HMML libraries. Holdings maintained at CSB campus can either be picked up at Clemens Library or be requested through a hold to be delivered to Alcuin Library.

As a fellow, a campus ID card, which will be issued to you upon arrival, is required to access library resources as well as other resources on campus. An online catalog of CSB/SJU library sources, research guides, and relevant and accessible databases can be found at https://www.csbsju.edu/libraries.

The HMML Reference Collection is available to all researchers and fellows who would like to consult it. These resources are available in the Reading Room at HMML, in the secured Reference Collection area, and in the Arca Artium Reference Collection.

Reference materials in the Reading Room are accessible at any time during HMML hours. As a visiting scholar, you will have access to the secured HMML Reference Collection from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The materials available in the HMML Reference Collection can be searched online using the CSB/SJU catalog.

Researchers can utilize digital tools, as well as:

• HMML’s reference collections and Special Collections—approximately 50,000 volumes on topics related to manuscripts, printed books, art, and liturgy.
• Offline archival and microfilm collections.
• Materials in the libraries and collections of CSB/SJU, including electronic databases.
• Support from HMML's staff, including expert curators and catalogers.

Dr. Catherine Walsh, Director of Cataloging and Library Services

Dr. Daniel K. Gullo, Joseph S. Micallef Director of the Malta Study Center

Dr. Matthew Z. Heintzelman, Curator of Western European Manuscripts & Special Collections

Dr. Josh Mugler, Curator of Eastern Christian and Islamic Manuscripts

Katherine Goertz, Curator/Registrar of Art Collections

HMML researchers are welcome and encouraged to join the monastic community in prayer at Saint John’s Abbey and Saint Benedict’s Monastery. The monastic community will help seat you and guide you through the services.

Saint John’s Abbey Prayer Schedule
Saint Benedict’s Monastery Prayer Schedule