Special Collections Research Center

Student examines a long, wide Chinese painting with a magnifying glass
Past Exhibits

Past Exhibits

  • Silhouette of a woman in a dress with a lifted skirt, posing playfully against a pale background.

    Peninsular Women: Making a Difference

    Student Research from the Lemon Project course Out of the Shadows

    On Display: February 28 - May 17, 2014

    Location: Read & Relax

    Little known, as is the case for far too many of the women who worked in the trenches, these eight Peninsular women worked in their communities and brought about change from which we all still…

  • Quebec Act of 1774

    Transnational Contexts, Meanings, and Legacies

    On Display: November 4, 2013 - May 4, 2014

    Location: Special Collections Lobby

    The Quebec Act was a response not to the misbehavior of unruly Bostonians, but rather to the challenges of governing the French, Catholic, and Amerindian inhabitants of the vast North American…

  • Plush teddy bear with Olympic rings on the abdomen, against a blue background.

    The Olympics

    International Competition and Community

    On Display: January 17 - March 31, 2014

    Location: Read & Relax

    In celebration of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, we invite you to explore the ways in which competition and community have shaped past Games.

  • Illustration of a profile view of a classical female figure with an ornate headband on a purple background.

    Muse

    Student Poetry Inspired By Special Collections Materials

    On Display: September 20, 2013 - March 23, 2014

    Location: Read & Relax

    This exhibit features student poetry inspired by items from the extensive holdings of Swem’s Special Collections.

  • An actress in white, captured mid-twirl under a spotlight.

    Close Connections

    Glenn Close’s lasting ties to the W&M community

    On Display: August 28, 2013 - March 2, 2014

    Location: Marshall Gallery, 1st Floor Rotunda

    This exhibit examines Glenn Close’s enduring connections as a member of the Tribe through primary source documents in Swem Library’s Special Collections.

  • Firefighters and a crane by a smoking building, with trees and a hazy sky in the background.

    Jefferson Hall Fire: 30th Anniversary

    On Display: February 27, 2013 - January 20, 2014

    Location: Near Writing Resources Center and Tribe Tutor Zone on 1st Floor

    On the morning of January 20, 1983 an alarm was pulled to signal a fire in the Jefferson Hall dormitory.

  • Painting of a man wearing a lei, necklace, leaf crown, and a wreath in the background.

    Santa Sightings

    featuring illustrations from the Nancy H. Marshall A Visit from St. Nicholas Collection

    On Display: December 6, 2013 - January 6, 2014

    Location: Swem Lobby

    Continuing our annual tradition, this year’s exhibit features lines from Moore’s poem describing St. Nicholas while showcasing the collection’s vibrant illustrations and diverse interpretations of…

  • Black Chinese character on a dark red background

    The Brush Dances and the Ink Sings

    On Display: August 24 - November 24, 2013

    Location: Read & Relax

    This exhibit features student calligraphy from a recent W&M course on Chinese calligraphy and painting.

  • Historical marker "W 10 - Second Day at Seven Pines" with a woman gesturing at it.

    States’ Rights v. Civil Rights

    On Display: May 10 - November 10, 2013

    Location: Marshall Gallery, 1st Floor Rotunda

    Conceived as a demonstration of American Cold War consensus, the Civil War centennial revealed how divided the country remained 100 years after Fort Sumter.

  • Football players celebrating during a game with others tackled on the field.

    Tribe Pride: William & Mary Sports Photography

    On Display: September 26, 2012 - October 31, 2013

    Location: Kaplan Arena

    Tribe Pride: William & Mary Sports Photography from Swem Library allows visitors to experience the history of intercollegiate sports at William & Mary through 20th century photographs. The exhibit…

  • Two individuals sit at a table engaged in conversation, one gesturing with hands, in a grayscale photo.

    "The Inevitable Present": Integration at William & Mary

    On Display: February 4 - October 31, 2013

    Location: Marshall Gallery, 1st Floor Rotunda

    Integration at William & Mary was not achieved simply with the acceptance of the first students of color; instead it has been a decades-long process.

  • Blue

    Presidents of William & Mary

    On Display: April 18 - October 17, 2013

    Location: Flat case near the Brown Board Room and Library Administration, 3rd Floor

    This exhibit provides a history of the College as seen through the eyes of its presidents.

  • Two children in vintage attire posing side by side.

    Blockades, Books, and Bassinets

    Children playing, learning, and surviving during the Civil War

    On Display: April 17 - October 16, 2013

    Location: Special Collections Lobby

    Playing, learning and surviving during the Civil War: These are the stories of Charley, Willie, Nell, Lizzie and many others.

  • Emblem with a yellow letter "W" overlapping a green "M" inside a shield, on a green background.

    Lost & Found

    On Display: February 19 - August 23, 2013

    Location: Read & Relax

    Whether things disappeared due to rivalry, thievery, or more mysterious reasons, someone cared enough to return them to the college, and many once lost treasures now make their home in Swem Library’s…

  • Shield-shaped logo with U.S. flag pattern over a map near Williamsburg.

    Under the Shield

    The Federal Occupation of the Historic Triangle

    On Display: February 7 - August 21, 2013

    Location: Marshall Gallery, 1st Floor Rotunda

    Although there were isolated incidents of arrests and bad feelings, the occupation of the Historic Triangle was neither cruel nor oppressive.

  • A poster announcing "The Choir Chorus Spring Concert" with details of time, location, and dates.

    Hear the Thunder of Our Chorus

    On Display: August 23, 2012 - July 14, 2013

    Location: 3rd Floor Rotunda Gallery

    Posters and Programs from the William & Mary Choir and Women's Chorus, 1940s – Present

  • Silhouette of a human head profile against a magenta curtain background.

    Open Minds

    An Exhibit of Psychology Department Faculty Publications

    On Display: March 26, 2012 - April 30, 2013

    Location: Bright Gallery, 2nd Floor Rotunda

    During the 1888-1889 academic year, William & Mary president Lyon G. Tyler taught the College’s first psychology course, which was then listed under the Department of Moral Science, Political Economy…

  • Old sepia sketch of a colonial building with handwritten notes on the top.

    "A Campus Greatly Scarred"

    The Wren Building Fire of 1862

    On Display: October 23, 2012 - April 17, 2013

    Location: Marshall Gallery, 1st Floor Rotunda

    This exhibit features letters, reports, and images relating to the 1862 fire in the Wren Building.

  • Illustration of a ship with sails above the word "EMBARCO," on turtle-shaped base.

    “The Enemy has disappeared from our Waters”

    The War of 1812 in Southeastern Virginia

    On Display: December 19, 2012 - April 14, 2013

    Location: Special Collections Lobby

    During the War of 1812, British soldiers carried out a series of raids throughout Southeastern Virginia from the relative safety of their ships. While their one foray onto land, the Battle of Craney…

  • Blue William & Mary logo on a light blue background

    Presidents of William & Mary

    On Display: October 22, 2012 - April 10, 2013

    Location: Flat case near the Brown Board Room and Library Administration, 3rd Floor

    This exhibit provides a history of William & Mary as seen through the eyes of its presidents.