This text serves as the foundational guide for understanding the structure, application, and maintenance of the Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) as a controlled vocabulary for the cultural heritage sector. The Getty Trust Publications team provides a comprehensive overview of the hierarchical organization of the AAT, detailing how it facilitates consistent indexing and retrieval of information across diverse art and architectural databases. The work outlines the logical framework used to categorize objects, styles, and materials, ensuring that information professionals can effectively navigate the complexities of descriptive metadata.

Experts in the field of information science and museum studies recognize this text as the primary manual for utilizing the AAT in professional cataloging environments. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which is intended for librarians, archivists, and database managers rather than the general public.