Explore library collections through online and in-person exhibits.
See what's on display and opening soon at library locations across campus.
On view through December 12. Focusing on the work of the Midwestern Contre Coup Press, founded as the passion project of retired psychologist and self-taught printer Timothy Hawley, this exhibit reveals the craftsmanship and creativity behind modern bookmaking.
On view through December 19. See a selection of posters by prolific artist and Penn alumnus Sam Maitin, whose signature bold colors and playful forms created the backdrop for artistic and civic life in Philadelphia for decades.
On view through January 16. Through the rich and varied Aristotelian materials held in the Penn Libraries' collections, this exhibit explores how perceptions of Aristotle have evolved over the centuries — across cultures, disciplines, and imaginations.
On view through November 9, 2026. This special installation honors the more-than-250-year legacy of medical education at the University of Pennsylvania.
Extended through December 2026. View a selection of correspondence between world-renowned contralto Marian Anderson and symphonic composer Florence Price, reproduced from Marian Anderson's personal archive.
Opening January 14, 2026. Explore the overlooked yet essential role of nurses during the American Revolution, whose vital work helped shape early American healthcare.
Opening January 14, 2026. This exhibit will demonstrate how technologies in the Education Commons and the Bollinger Digital Fabrication Lab can be used to investigate and/or draw creative inspiration from the rare books of the Museum Library and artifacts from the Penn Museum.
Find displays featuring work by Penn students.
On view through January 5, 2026. See excerpts from a Penn student-run literary society's full translation of the Rosetta Stone, which was published in 1858 to great acclaim.
On view through August 30, 2026. Experience fieldwork and research travel of current undergraduate and graduate students as documented through their own lenses.
Interested in curating an exhibit with Penn Libraries collections? Our exhibit program is a collaborative process, made for both seasoned and emerging curators alike.
Anyone can propose an exhibit; no special credentials or Penn affiliation are necessary.
The Penn Libraries Exhibitions Program manages displays across multiple library locations.
The author, artist, and humanitarian Ashley Bryan responded to Civil Rights protests about police bias and brutality in the 1960s with this series of drawings, made from his studio overlooking Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. The signs carried by these protesters speak to today’s issues as well: “Stop Police Brutality Now,” “End Police Bias Now,” “Jim Crow Must Go,” “Freedom Now,” “We Demand Decent Police Now,” and “Justice Now.”
Ashley Bryan—renowned artist, writer, storyteller, and humanitarian—created thousands of drawings, paintings, collages, and linoleum block prints over the course of his long and productive life. This exhibition highlights Bryan’s portrayals of strong and resourceful women in his art. Many of these works were made for books of poetry, including Freedom Over Me, ABC of African American Poetry, and Aneesa Lee and the Weaver’s Gift.
This research portal provides online access to more than 2,500 items from the collection of Marian Anderson, one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century. The body of primary sources in the collection — including letters, diaries, journals, interviews, recital programs, and private recordings — spans the Philadelphia-born musician’s six-decade career as an opera singer and advocate for social justice.