DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining DNA methylation patterns, essential for the dynamic organization of vertebrate genomes. However, the mechanisms underlying DNMT3A1's recruitment and function within different chromatin environments remain unclear. We find that DNMT3A interacts with modified nucleosomes through multivalent interactions, involving both direct binding to chromatin features and site-specific post-translational histone modifications.