Events: Calendar of Events

Filters On: Topic(s): Rare Books, Manuscripts, & Digital Collections

Charles Dickens: Part of the Hands-on History Series at The Free Library, Parkway Central

Sat, December 14, 2019 2:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

Charles Dickens: Part of the Hands-on History at The Free Library, Parkway Central Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was one of the most successful writers of the nineteenth century, achieving international fame during his own lifetime. The Rare Book Department at the Free Library of Philadelphia is…

Hands-on History Presents: The Free Library's Cuneiform Tablet Collection

Sat, January 11, 2020 2:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

Cuneiform script was developed over 5,000 years ago in Sumer (southern Mesopotamia/modern day southern Iraq) and is the earliest system of writing. The Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia is fortunate to house around 3,000 examples of this early writing. Experience the rare…

Our Five Senses: A Family Friendly, Interactive Exhibition On Display until February 1, 2020

Now through Sat, February 1, 2020 3:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

Our Five Senses connects the science of the senses with the mind and the literary experience. Unique materials in the exhibition cross three centuries of human discovery. Visitors will learn about their identity, perceptions, and brain development by following five anthropomorphic…

Hands-on History Presents: The Elite of Our People.

Sat, February 8, 2020 10:00 A.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

Interact with rarely seen archives and artifacts that speak to the Philadelphia community once described as “The Elite of Our People” by 1840s black resident Joseph Willson, in a program led by the Free Library's Kalela Williams. Handle photographs, illustrations, and documents…

Hands-on History Presents: The Elite of Our People.

Sat, February 8, 2020 2:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

Hands-on History Presents: Picturing Indigenous History. The Story of the “Indian Gallery” at the United States Department of War, and its Lessons for U.S./Indigenous Diplomacy

Sat, March 14, 2020 2:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

Explore the long and complex history of the United States federal government’s relationship with the Indigenous peoples of North America by studying the Free Library of Philadelphia Rare Book Department’s copy of the History of the Indian Tribes of North America, written by Thomas L.…

Hands-on History Presents: Uncovering the Real James Bond at The Free Library of Philadelphia

Sat, April 11, 2020 2:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

In researching his new book about Philadelphian James Bond, whose identity was stolen by Ian Fleming, author Jim Wright found a goldmine the Free Library's Rare Book Department. In the James and Mary Bond archives there, Wright unearthed all sorts of rare images and documents pertaining to…

Hands-on History Presents: Organized Labor in Philadelphia

Sat, May 9, 2020 2:00 P.M.
Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

The history of organized labor reflects the cultural, often radical, values of the working class at a particular place and time. Participants will interact with a selection of books and magazines focused on trade unionism. Among the rare pieces that will be shared is a script for the stage play…

Voyages by Road and Sea

Now through Sun, August 30, 2020 8:00 A.M.
First Floor Gallery West at Parkway Central Library

Voyages by Road and Sea explores the legacies of Walt Whitman and Herman Melville through contemporary voices and art in Parkway Central Library's West Gallery. Marking the bicentennial years for both Whitman and Melville, Voyages examines the personal and literary journeys of these two…