All Ages

Shining Light on Truth: Black Lives at Yale & in New Haven

A new exhibition to be installed at the Schwarzman Center, Shining Light on Truth: Black at Yale & in New Haven Lives at Yale & in New Haven, will illuminate ongoing research that recovers the essential role of Black people throughout Yale and New Haven history. The exhibition puts back at the center of local storytelling people who have always been central to local history. It celebrates Black community building, resistance, and resilience on campus and in New Haven.

Celebrating Willie Ruff as an Oral Historian

Celebrating the life of Yale’s Willie Ruff in conjunction with Yale School of Music’s Willie Ruff Memorial Concert. The exhibit features oral histories recorded by Willie speaking with other legendary Black musicians and composers. These oral histories are part of the Gilmore Music Library’s Oral History of American Music project and is presented in partnership with the Yale School of Music’s March 29th Willie Ruff Memorial Concert.

SENSATION! Reported Bodies in 19th-Century American Media

“SENSATION!” is an exhibit about your body: your eyes, ears, nostrils, skin, and tongue. It’s also about that strange, seductive sixth sense, your imagination. How does the news touch your imagination to make your body feel? 

Today, “sensational” writing is an exaggerated, titillating representation of sex or crime. In the 1800s, though, “sensational” simply meant creating a strong impact on the senses. When we recover this historical definition, many newspapers begin to seem sensational.

Curator's Talk: "SENSATION! Reported Bodies in 19th-Century American Media" 2025 Senior Fellowship Exhibit

Please join us to celebrate the opening of “SENSATION! Reported Bodies in 19th-Century American Media”, on view in the Sterling Library Exhibition Corridor from April 28 to September 28, 2025. Curator Anne Gross ‘25 will provide a tour of this exciting exhibition and will be available for questions and conversation over light refreshments afterwards. No registration is necessary.

Passover Pop-up Exhibition

Yale’s Special Collections at the Beinecke house extraordinary Passover Haggadot, books of Jewish custom (minhagim), and legal treatises related to the holiday. Join us to explore these rare and beautiful books from around the world as the Passover season begins. At a pop-up exhibit, you are welcome to come at any time during the one-and-a-half-hour period to view the materials and ask questions.

A Cosmos of Similarity

Imagine a world in which similarity is the foundation of everything. That idea, inspired by the writings of cultural theorist Walther Benjamin (1892–1940) and Yale Professor Paul North, is the basis for the new exhibition in the Cushing Rotunda: A Cosmos of Similarity. Showcasing lesser-known works from the founding collection of the Medical Historical Library, this captivating new display charts a rich intellectual history in which mathematics, theology, natural philosophy, art, and medicine intertwine.

Creating “Theatres of Living Memory” in Nigeria

Join trailblazing architect Seun Oduwole, Co-founder/ Director of Living Object and Principal Architect at SI.SA, for a discussion on the curatorial and architectural vision behind the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History. This landmark institution reclaims and reimagines Yoruba history and culture. Learn about the significance of this site in preserving cultural heritage in Nigeria.

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Transforming Public Libraries in Kenya

Book Bunk in Nairobi, Kenya is reimagining and renovating public libraries into sites of heritage, public art, and learning. Join Book Bunk’s Co-founder Wanjiru Koinange for an inspiring discussion on how Kenya’s colonial-era libraries are being transformed into vibrant, inclusive spaces for creativity, knowledge, and community.

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54 Years in the Studio: An Oral History on Violin Pedagogue Dorothy DeLay

Keeley Brooks, graduating senior, will present her senior thesis which consists of approximately 30 oral history interviews with students of the great violin pedagogue, Dorothy DeLay

2nd Annual Miles Hoffman Concert

The Gilmore Music Library is excited to present the second annual Miles Hoffman Concert, honoring the memory of noted violist and public radio commentator, Miles Hoffman ’73. The concert series is possible thanks to the generosity of Dr. Jeffrey Ravetch, ’73, classmate and friend of Hoffman. This year’s concert will feature a variety of selections exploring early examples of chamber music and looking at how the idea of some kinds of “chamber music” grew in other directions. The concert takes place in the Beinecke Library on April 10, 2025 at 4:00. A reception will follow.