While the days of immersing ourselves at an in-person exhibit at a favorite gallery or museum are still out of reach for so many of us, as we continue to follow health guidelines to help manage the spread of COVID-19, online versions include everything from virtual tours to live discussions and interactive, hands-on programming.
The Free Library's Division of Cultural and Civic Engagement and Special Collections have teamed up to bring you a range of exhibition experiences available digitally!
Medieval Life: European Manuscripts in Philadelphia Collections
Our Medieval Life exhibit invites viewers to connect everyday life with the experiences of those who lived hundreds of years ago. Online access to the Medieval Life exhibit through January 2021 includes a robust preview which connects you to the broader BibilioPhilly digitization project, as well as several free events to close out the exhibit:
- Live digital discussions with junior medieval scholars about future study and discourse of the global Middle Ages on January 14 and January 21.
- Live musical performance with Chanticleer's Adam Ward, featuring songs for peace and protest, communication and communion on January 25.
Missed out on previous Medieval Life public programs? Visit the Rare Book Department’s YouTube channel for recordings of our past events, and be sure to subscribe for updated content
Making Her Mark: Philadelphia Women Fight for the Vote
Our newest exhibit, Making Her Mark, launched in 2020 to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. In telling the stories of Philadelphia women who have worked to expand and activate voter rights, the exhibit explores the impact of generations of leadership and movement building. It encourages viewers to share their own stories about voting and civic engagement. In place of the in-person gallery experience, we currently offer magazine-style digital access to the entire exhibit and will look to offer physical access through Fall 2021 once it is safe to do so. From January through May 2021, free digital programming for Making Her Mark includes spotlights on:
- Temperance and Suffrage, with featured speaker Dr. Theresa McCulla of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on January 27.
- Radical Self-Care, with chef Jena Harris and Professor Psyche Williams-Forson on February 11.
- Black Sisterhood and Suffrage, with featured speaker Dr. Thelma Thomas Daley on March 24.
- Poetry and Movement Building, in collaboration with the Literature Department on April 8.
- Curator Roundtable on the intergenerational fight for voter rights, in collaboration with the Museum of the American Revolution on May 6.
Additional Making Her Mark programming and activities will come online through Fall 2021, so stay tuned! If you are looking for a virtual group tour of Making Her Mark, email Suzanna at urminskas@freelibrary.org to place a request. While we may not yet be able to connect you to our physical exhibitions, we look forward to continuing to offer engaging experiences online. Join us!
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