Current Exhibitions

 

The two large exhibit cases that flank the Reading Room at the Renaissance Center house exhibits that change every couple of months or so. The focus of a given exhibition can vary widely. The exhibits usually contain rare books in addition to facsimiles, manuscripts, and other materials.

For information about past and upcoming “one-time only” exhibitions, click here.


Maps of Cluverius, Mercator, and Saxton; Early Modern Manuscripts and Book Leaves  Fall, 2007


These displays feature some of the materials from our collection of maps, book leaves, and manuscripts. Featured items include maps by Cluverius, Mercator, and Saxton; leaves from the first London newspaper; vellum land grants and legal documents; and Italian manuscript letters from the seventeenth century.

Print Culture and the English Civil War Spring, 2008


The exhibit features materials, both authentic and in facsimile, that highlight the social, religious, and intellectual pressures related to the English Civil War. Print culture played an important role not only in disseminating information about the war, but also in reflecting and perhaps constructing the social identities that fueled the conflict.

PAST DISPLAYS:

Facsimiles from the Center’s Collection

Summer, 2008


In addition to its strong collection of rare books, the Center also owns an impressive set of facsimiles, many of which are rare and out-of-print. Our facsimile collection features books published by the Scolar, DeCapo, and Taschen presses, to name a few. These facsimiles cover the major books of the Medieval and Renaissance periods, including the Lindisfarne Gospels, Nuremberg Chronicle, the famous Luther Bible. Books displayed will change regularly.

CURRENT DISPLAYS:

Scribblings, Marginalia, and Manicules: Early Modern Annotated Books Fall 2008-Spring 2009


The Center houses a number of printed books containing unique manuscript content, ranging from the rather common phenomenon of pen trials and doodling to the more rare notes of family records or the writing of manuscript verse. New books will appear in the Spring 2009 displays.