---
title: "system.historian.queryMetadata"
description: "Queries metadata for the specified historian."
---

# system.historian.queryMetadata

> Queries metadata for the specified historian.

This function is used in **Python Scripting**.

## Description

Queries metadata for the specified historian. This function applies to the [Core](ignition-modules\tag-historian\tag-history-providers\tag-history-providers.md#core-historian) Historian and [Internal](ignition-modules\tag-historian\tag-history-providers\tag-history-providers.md#internal-historian-legacy) Historian (Legacy) only.

## Client Permission Restrictions

This scripting function has no [Client Permission](../../../ignition-modules/vision/vision-project-properties/vision-project-properties.md#vision-permissions-properties) restrictions.

## Syntax

`system.historian.queryMetadata(paths, [startDate], [endDate])`

### Parameters

|Type| Parameter| Description|
|--|--|--|
|String| `paths`|A list of historical paths to query metadata for.|
|Date |`startDate` |A start time to query metadata for. This parameter is optional, unless an end time is specified. [optional]|
|Date |`endDate` |An end time to query metadata for. If specifying an end time, a start time must be provided. [optional]|

### Returns

**Results** - A Results object that contains a list of query results.

### Scope

Gateway, Vision Client, Perspective Session

## Code Examples
```python title="Code Snippet"
# Query for a specified tag's metadata and display the result.

paths = "histprov:Historian:/sys:gw1:/prov:default:/tag:metafolder/metatag1"
endDate = system.date.now()
startDate = system.date.addDays(endDate, -5)

results = system.historian.queryMetadata(paths, startDate, endDate)
print results
```