Category: 2014
Bristol’s Riverfront Connection – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
October 18 to November 15, 2014
The Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library
680 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, PA 19007
Free
Bristol’s Riverfront Connection, a historical exhibit that focuses on people and events as they relate to the Delaware River near Bristol. This family friendly exhibit can be viewed at the Library from October 18th to November 15th during regular Library hours.
More information on the Grundy Library’s website and Facebook page.
Unearthed in the Archives – Fridays in October, 2014
Every Friday at 1:30 pm
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Free with admission
Take a trip through Penn Museum history with “Unearthed in the Archives,” every Friday at 1:30 pm in the Penn Museum Archives. These short, weekly chats investigate the many interesting and unusual documents being safeguarded in this vast collection. Guests can look for a new experience each week, based on expedition records, vintage photographs, manuscripts, personal letters, and much more. Half-hour sessions begin at 1:30 and 2:00 pm; each program is FREE with regular admission.
Follow the Penn Museum on social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram.
Marking Time: Voyage to Vietnam – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
October 3, 2014 – May 26, 2015
Independence Seaport Museum
211 S. Columbus Blvd. and Walnut St.
$13.50 (museum admission)
Developed by Art and Lee Beltrone, founders of the Vietnam Graffiti Project, this exhibition presents the stories of American soldiers bound for Vietnam in the late 1960s. The stories are depicted through writing and artwork left on troopships’ bunks, capturing the era’s politics, military pride, humor and anti-war sentiments. The exhibition will feature canvasses with connections to the PA/NJ/DE region.
More information: http://www.phillyseaport.org/Markingtime
The Place of Pennsylvania – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
Tuesday, 10/14/2014 – Friday, 11/7/2014
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Free and open to the public.
Pennsylvania has long been known as the Keystone State, and not without cause. Its history and culture have been shaped by its place—geographically and otherwise.
In conjunction with the Pennsylvania Historical Association annual meeting, HSP will display selections from its collections that look at Pennsylvania as a place, whether geographical, political, or imagined. Included will be items that depict the “place” of Pennsylvania in its region(s) (mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northeast, etc.), the nation, and the world as well as Pennsylvania places, large and small, throughout the commonwealth’s history.
Hours exhibit on view (10/14/2014 – 11/7/2014)
Tuesday: 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 12:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Thursday: 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
More information: http://hsp.org/calendar/the-place-of-pennsylvania
Fated Sky: The Textuality of Time & Space – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
Sept. 22, 2014 – Feb. 14, 2015, Monday – Saturday, 9am-5pm
Free Library of Philadelphia, Rare Book Department
1901 Vine Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA
Free
No registration required
What people see in the heavens has, through the ages, been connected with religion, time and science. This exhibition presents that broad spectrum, in print and manuscript, from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment.
Follow the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Rare Book Department on Facebook and Twitter.
Born of the Bard: Works Inspired by Shakespeare – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
Oct. 10 – Dec. 21, 2014, Monday – Saturday 9-5, Sunday 1-5
Free Library of Philadelphia
1901 Vine Street, West Hallway Gallery, 1st floor, Philadelphia, PA
Free
No registration required
This exhibition highlights the myriad ways that Shakespeare, both the man and his works, have inspired artists of all kinds: performers, musicians, filmmakers, writers, visual artists, and more. Through items like movie posters, novels, programs, and photographs, visitors can see the vast impact Shakespeare has had on cultural heritage around the world.
Follow the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Rare Book Department on Facebook and Twitter.
Tour of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Rare Book Department – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
Every Monday to Saturday at 11am
Free Library of Philadelphia, Rare Book Department
1901 Vine Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA
Free
No registration required
A public tour of the Rare Book Department has been in operation since 1949. Rare book librarians on staff provide a basic introduction to the history of the book using the items from the collections, including cuneiform tablets, a section of a papyrus scroll, a medieval manuscript and a leaf from a Gutenberg Bible. The tour also includes a visit to our Elkins Room, the actual library of a former Free Library Trustee who was also a prominent book collector.
Follow the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Rare Book Department on Facebook and Twitter.
50th Anniversary Celebration of Lloyd Alexander’s “The Book of Three” – October 11 and Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
Event on October 11, 2014 at 1:00 pm in the Montgomery Auditorium
Exhibit on view all October, Monday – Saturday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm in the Rare Book Department
Free Library of Philadelphia,
1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Free
No registration required
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of “The Book of Three,” the first book in Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles, the Rare Book Department is displaying a small exhibition of archival material relating to its creation and publication.
Philadelphia native Lloyd Alexander wrote more than 40 books for children and young adults, including the “exciting, highly imaginative, and sometimes profound” (New York Times) fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. In 1995, he donated his papers to the Children’s Literature Research Collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
On October 11, at 1pm in the Montgomery Auditorium, bestselling fantasy author Tamora Pierce will lecture on Lloyd Alexander, followed by a discussion with Alexander’s goddaughter Sharyn November, senior editor at Viking Children’s Books and Editorial Director at Firebird Books.
A screening of “The Black Cauldron” will follow the lecture and discussion.
Follow the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Rare Book Department on Facebook and Twitter. More event details at http://libwww.freelibrary.org/authorevents/index.cfm?ID=47433&type=2
Canonizing Homophile Sexual Respectability: Archives, History, and Memory – October 02, 2014
Thursday, 10/2/2014 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Free and open to the public.
Please RSVP here
Dr. Marc Stein will use Philadelphia LGBT history to explore the sexual dimensions of the past when historians, librarians, archivists, publishers, and others construct and reconstruct historical narratives.
Cosponsored by the Library Company of Philadelphia. Preceeded by a reception at Library Company of Philadelphia at 5:30, with the lecture to follow at HSP at 7 p.m.
More information: http://hsp.org/calendar/canonizing-homophile-sexual-respectability-archives-history-and-memory
Strange Brew: Beer and Brewing in Philadelphia History – October 03, 2014
A founder of Perot Brewing
October 3, 2014, 3:00-4:00 PM
Special Collections, Magill Library, Haverford College
370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA 19041
Free
As part of the Haverford Libraries “Dig Into the Archives” series, librarian Mike Zarafonetis will use archival materials to talk about brewers and brewing history in the Philadelphia area.
Philadelphia Lantern Slide Salon – October 08, 2014
“Iris Bowl” garden on the Lloyd estate, Haverford, PA circa 1930. Credit: McLean Library Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014, 6-8 PM
The Wagner Free Institute of Science
1700 W. Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19121
Free
Please register here
The 2nd Annual Philadelphia Lantern Slide Salon showcases glass lantern slides from the special collections of 6 Philadelphia institutions projected from an historic lantern projector in the Wagner’s Victorian-era lecture hall.
This encore of last year’s popular event will showcase historic lantern slide collections from the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, the Historical Society of Frankford, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Predating the motion picture, lantern slides were used for entertainment and to illustrate educational programs and courses. The salon will be held in the Wagner’s unchanged Victorian lecture hall using an original lantern slide projector. Join us for a rare treat as we revive an old technology in order to see globally significant lantern slide collections drawn from the libraries and archives of Philadelphia’s most distinguished institutions.
More info: http://www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org/syllabi%202014-15/LanternSlideSalon2014.htm
Monmouth County (NJ) Archives and History Day – October 11, 2014
October 11, 2014, 9am-3pm
Monmouth County Library
125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, NJ 07726
Free
Attendance for individuals is free and pregistration not required except for Monmouth County Archives tour. Table registration required for history organizations. Registration: Shelagh Reilly, 732-308-3771 x3776.
Exhibition hall with 62 tables staffed by history-related organizations. Keynote, “Civil War Music,” by historian and musician Joe Becton, at 1pm. Other events during the day as listed in online program.
Hagley Library Open House & Behind the Scenes Tour – October 11, 2014
Saturday, October 11, 9:00 a.m. to noon
Hagley Library, Copeland Room
298 Buck Road, Wilmington, DE 19807
Free
Reservations are required for the tour but not necessary for the open house. RSVP to Cheryl Jackson, cjackson@hagley.org or 302-658-2400.
Staff will be on hand with carefully selected materials from Hagley’s vast historical research collections related to the history of enterprise and technology. The event will include an introductory presentation from Director of Library Services Erik Rau followed by behind-the-scenes tours.
Behind-the-scenes tours will give visitors a rare look at storage areas, where we keep millions of photographs as well as thousands of books and other historical publications. In addition, participants can see our conservation area, where library conservators will demonstrate some of their current work in protecting Hagley’s historical documents.
The open house does not require a reservation, but visitors interested in the behind-the-scenes tours are asked to reserve their spot by contacting Cheryl Jackson at cjackson@hagley.org or (302) 658-2400, ext. 239. Tours will be begin at 10 and 11 a.m., and additional tours will be scheduled if necessary.
About Hagley Museum and Library
Hagley’s Library is the nation’s leading business history library, archives, and research center. Current holdings comprise 37,000 linear feet in the Manuscripts and Archives Department, 290,000 printed volumes in the Published Collections Department, and 2 million visual items and 330,000 digital images and pages in the Audiovisual and Digital Initiatives Department
At Hagley, we invite people of all ages to investigate and experience the unfolding history of American business, technology, and innovation, and its impact on the world, from our home at the historic DuPont powder yards on the banks of the Brandywine.
For more information, call (302) 658-2400 weekdays or visit www.hagley.org.
Sauerkraut-Making Workshop – October 14, 2014
Tuesday, October 14th at 7 PM
German Society Of Pennsylvania
611 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia, PA
The cost of attending the workshop is $15
Attendance will be capped at 20 participants. For registration and other information, please contact the GSP office or Chrissy Bellizzi (librarian@germansociety.org).
Beginning at 7 PM in the German Society of Pennsylvania’s Ratskeller, food writer and canning expert Marisa McClellan (http://foodinjars.com/) will demonstrate how to extend the shelf life of your Kohl with a sauerkraut-making workshop. Highlights of the Horner Memorial Library’s cookbook collection will also be on display in the reading room for the viewing pleasure of participants.
After Hours for Planners with Archival Planning Films – October 14, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 6:00 PM
PhilaMoca
531 N 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Free
RSVP here
GeoPhilly, Philadelphia’s meetup group for map enthusiasts, is pleased to present After Hours for Planners with Archival Planning Films. This free event is held on the last day of the America Planning Association, Pennsylvania Chapter Annual Conference and features archival films from the 1950s-1960s about city planning and Philadelphia. A meet and greet with local urban planners and GeoPhilly members will follow the film screening at The Institute Bar.
These archival films are a time capsule of mid-century Philadelphia life and historical planning practices. The films feature a variety of planning recommendations which are at times archaic and at others times innovative and progressive. We hope you will find these films as charming, entertaining and fun as we do!
Films Include:
No Time for Ugliness (1965): this film highlights case studies in urban renewal (like Detroit’s Lafayette Park) and historic preservation (like Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown). It also warns us of the uniformity of the American suburb and the thoughtless environment that results from car-related development.
Birth of a City (1950s): Educational / promotional film by the Turnpike Land Company showing how the city of Broomfield Heights, Colorado was planned and constructed. Scenic features of the area are highlighted to convince the viewer they should move to the new city.
Song of Philadelphia (1961): The “Song of Philadelphia” provides an overview of select people, places, and events in the city. The film was produced for the Office of the City Representative Division of Public Information Board of Trade and Conventions and is narrated by Dick Clark.
Important People (1960s): This Philadelphia Transportation Company film provides an overview of the many people who work together to provide mass transportation in the City of Philadelphia. There’s one group in particular, however, that is identified as “the most important people!”
Lost in the Great War, Resurrected from the Archives – October 15, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Free
Please register in advance here
Over twenty-five hundred service people from Philadelphia lost their lives in the Great War, and each of them had a story. Some of their stories live on in the memories of their descendants, many of whom still live in the Philadelphia area today. But many left no descendants, having died young—often in their late teens or early twenties—before they had the opportunity to start a family. As a result, there was no one left to remember and share the story of their lives.
Now, a project is underway to identify and document the lives of those who fell. Inspired by a list of names and addresses discovered in the Pennsylvania State Archives, volunteers from the academic and genealogical communities have come together to create an online database, “The Fallen of the Great War.” Drawing on the energy and expertise of experienced volunteers, the project will produce a biographical encyclopedia, a social science dataset, and an interactive map of Philadelphia, displaying where the service people lived before they left for the Great War.
Learn more about the origins and future of the Fallen of the Great War project. Joyce Homan of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and Ruth Martin of Heritage Reports will share some of the stories the volunteer researchers have uncovered so far and also discuss the perils and rewards of undertaking such a venture.
Link to more information on the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s website
Cataloging Conflict – October 16, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014, 5:30 PM
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, sixth floor
3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Free and open to the public (please show photo ID at entrance)
Registration for this talk is appreciated but not required. Please RSVP HERE or contact rbml@pobox.upenn.edu or 215.898.7088
One hundred years ago, the first shots of World War I resonated around the world. The scale of conflict was unprecedented and affected soldiers, civilians, governments, the arts, and industry. But what many hoped would be the “War to End All Wars” instead launched a century of conflict and continued humankind’s long history of warfare.
As part of Philly Archives Month, the catalogers of the Special Collections Processing Center will display items from Penn’s collections that document, or were inspired by, conflict. Please join us to see propaganda toilet paper, letters to soldiers, 15th-century indulgences sold to raise money for papal armies, soldiers’ songs performed by Marian Anderson, sketchbooks from battlefronts, photograph albums, and … Penn’s famous Rocket Cats!
‘Staches and Spirits – October 16, 2014
Thursday, 10/16/2014 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
$25
Purchase tickets here
Brush, tease, and apply the pomade for a party all about hair! Guests will enjoy an evening of hors d’oeuvres, raffle prizes, a whiskey tasting from WhistlePig Whiskey, and an exclusive, one-night document display showing some of the best hairstyles through the centuries.
More information: http://hsp.org/calendar/staches-and-spirits
“The Greatest Musical Wonder in The World” talk at the Heritage Center of the Union League – October 21, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014, 5:30 to 7PM
Heritage Center at the Union League (entrance at sidewalk level)
140 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
Free
RSVP by e-mail to foundations@unionleague.org or by phone to 215-587-5596
There is not a dress code for this event.
Mr. Richard L. Seifert’s acclaimed musical documentary on the history of the Wanamaker Organ, humbly titled “The Greatest Musical Wonder in The World,” a history of the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, has earned positive reviews and support.
Called a “riveting presentation on the Wanamaker Organ” by Friends of The Wanamaker Organ Executive Director, Mr. Ray Biswanger, it also received a favorable nod from Macy’s Grand Court Organist, Mr. Peter Richard Conte, and enthusiastic support from Dr. William Allan Zulker, author of “John Wanamaker King of Merchants.” It is a visual window into the former glory of the Wanamaker department store, with a unique perspective on Philadelphia’s famous retail pioneer John Wanamaker.
About Richard L. Seifert
Mr. Seifert is a native of Merion, PA. He studied music in Philadelphia at the former New School of Music and Philadelphia College of Bible. He is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA, with a degree in Applied Piano, and earned his Teaching Certification in Music Education from Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. He taught Piano, Choral and Elementary Music in the Seattle area schools for many years, and was President of The Snohomish County Music Teachers Association, where he developed a variety of music festivals and programs for local youth. In 2012 Mr. Seifert relocated back to Philadelphia and currently teaches privately at Lower Merion Piano. Passionate about Philadelphia history, Mr. Seifert volunteers as a historian/archivist for the Friends of The Wanamaker Organ.
The Heritage Center at the Union League
Hours open to the public: Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00pm until 6:00pm
http://www.ulheritagecenter.org/
http://www.facebook.com/ULHeritageCenter
Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon at Bryn Mawr College – October 22, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 4:00 – 7:30 pm
Canaday Library, Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Free
RSVP on the Wikipedia project page or to GreenfieldHWE@brynmawr.edu
Bryn Mawr College Special Collections will host a Wikipedia edit-a-thon in honor of American Archives Month and Ada Lovelace Day, celebrating women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
Join a group of students, staff, faculty, and members of the public for an opportunity to learn the skills of Wikipedia editing and contribute to accessible information about women in STEM fields. Mary Mark Ockerbloom, Wikipedian in Residence at the Chemical Heritage Foundation, will open the session with an hour-long instructional lecture covering the basics of setting up an account, beginning to edit, and positioning your articles for success on the site. The talk will be followed by an editing session from 5:00 – 7:30 in which participants can work on projects individually or collaboratively. No experience necessary, and attendees may feel free to come and go as needed. Please bring a laptop and charger for editing. RSVP on the Wikipedia project page or to GreenfieldHWE@brynmawr.edu.
Directions:
Bryn Mawr is on the Paoli-Thorndale SEPTA line. Coming from Center City Philadelphia by car: From Center City Philadelphia Take I-76 west (Schuykill Expressway) to the City Avenue exit 339 (Route 1 South). Once on City Avenue, travel about 2.5 miles and turn right onto Lancaster Avenue (Route 30 West). Travel about 4 miles to reach the center of Bryn Mawr. Turn right onto Morris Avenue; a Sunoco station will be on your right and a Starbucks on your left. Follow Morris Avenue as it curves left under the train-track bridge then bears right. Cross Montgomery Avenue (at the traffic light). Continue on Morris Avenue past the Office of Admissions on the corner of Yarrow Street and enter the parking lot between the two stone pillars on the left. Canaday Library is a ten minute walk from the visitor parking lot; refer to a campus map for directions. Handicap parking spots are available adjacent to the library building: please contact the event organizer for information if necessary.
Personal Digital Archiving Day – October 23, 2014
October 23rd, 3-5 pm
Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Ave. Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Free
This event is to provide outreach and education for Bryn Mawr students on digital preservation.
Personal digital archiving is taking steps (small or big) to ensure your family memories, personal and professional papers are safe from disaster, human error, or everyday digital wear and tear. Think about how helpful and meaningful preserving your student club or activity files will be for future Mawrters.
Topics to be addressed at the workshops include best practices for:
- Archiving digital photography and working with metadata
- Preserving e-mail correspondence
- Preserving digital documents/records
- Preserving personal Web sites, blogs, and social media
Curtis Institute of Music Historical Tour – October 23, 2014
Drawing of the Curtis Institute by Louis Ruyl, 1925
Thursday, October 23 at 4 pm
Curtis Institute of Music
1726 Locust Street, Philadelphia PA
Free
Participation is limited, please contact helene.vanrossum@curtis.edu to register
The Archivist of the Curtis Institute of Music, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, will provide a historical tour of the buildings and give an introduction to the archives. For information, online exhibits and a blog see www.curtis.edu/archives. Participation is limited, please contact the archivist to register.
Tour of the John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library and Exhibit – October 25, 2014
October 25, 11:00am and 1:00pm
Bartram’s Garden
5400 Lindbergh Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19143
RSVP to Leslie Gale: lgale@bartramsgarden.org
Bartram’s Garden is a 45-acre National Historic Landmark, operated by the John Bartram Association in cooperation with the City of Philadelphia
Take a special tour of the Bartram’s Garden library and its collections with curator Joel Fry and stay to see the ongoing exhibit.
Visit the garden and see a display of a new addition to the collection. A letter from Benjamin Franklin, dated London, 1769 — with an undated seed list of 102 species by John Bartram on the rear, donated to Bartram’s Garden by the McNeil Americana Collection and the Barra Foundation, is the focus of this exhibit.
Tours are limited to 12 people and reservations are required to tour the library. (Reservations are not required to tour the garden and see the exhibit in the welcome center.) Visitors will be able to take in highlights from the collections, including books and manuscripts related to the history of botany and its practice in the area and another important recent library addition: a mid-19th century herbarium of plants collected locally by Emma Thomas who lived in the house Whitby Hall in the 1860’s.
More information on Bartram’s Garden: http://www.bartramsgarden.org/. Follow Bartram’s Garden on Facebook.
Philly History Quizzo – October 30, 2014
“A View of the Statehouse in 1778,” circa 1830. Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection Bb 862 B756 #22, record # 554.
Thursday, October 30, 2014, 7:00 pm to approximately 9:00 pm Continue reading
The Moon Reader – Ongoing Exhibit, 2014
September 4 – October 10, 2014, 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Library Company of Philadelphia
1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Free
Philadelphia artist Teresa Jaynes, The Moon Reader. An artist project hosted by VCP at LCP at The Library Company of Philadelphia.
Created by Philadelphia artist Teresa Jaynes, The Moon Reader is inspired by 19th-century primers in the Michael Zinman Collection of Printing for the Blind at The Library Company of Philadelphia. The multimedia installation, comprised of two artists’ books (in Moon type and in Braille and large print) and an audio file, invites participants to learn to read Moon, an embossed reading code for the blind invented by blind educator William Moon in 1845. The Moon Reader will serve as a literal and figurative meeting place where the tactile experience is primary and accessible to almost everyone. The activity – deciphering, translation, and finally comprehending – will be a quiet act of discovery. Visitors will be invited to learn to read Moon and interpret ideas about sight in ways that elicit curiosity, humor, and empathy. Afterwards, readers may post comments on The Moon Reader Facebook page where they can also learn more about William Moon and the artist’s creative process.
Event details on Facebook
Archives Month Philly 