Exhibitions
Past exhibition: Deciphering Ulysses: A Playful Introduction to Joyce’s Novel
Want to solve the puzzle of James Joyce’s Ulysses? You are in good company. “I’ve put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries,” Joyce notoriously boasted. This exhibit offers a playful and interactive introduction to cracking the code of Ulysses.
Past exhibition: Everything is Going On Brilliantly: Oscar Wilde and Philadelphia
This groundbreaking exhibition focuses on the life and work of Oscar Wilde, and highlights his historic and ongoing connections and influence in Philadelphia.
Past exhibition: Bescribbled, Nibbled, and Dog-Eared: Early American Children’s Books
This exhibition explores the history of early children’s books from the religious tracts of Puritan printers to the adventure novels of the 19th century, while introducing visitors to Dr. Rosenbach’s passion for these dog-eared gems
Past exhibition: I’ll Make a Ghost of Him: Joyce Haunted by Shakespeare
Of all Joyce’s predecessors, Shakespeare was the greatest and most complicated, serving as an artistic father, guide and literary ideal. This unique exhibition places pages from Joyce’s manuscriptof Ulysses side-by-side with the plays and poems that inspired it.
Past exhibition: Four Scores on 150 Years Ago
Dave Burrell’s Civil War Concerts
In this special exhibition, we invite you to explore this fascinating and unique project from its inception to today. Burrell’s original musical scores, research notebooks, and interviews about his creative process will be displayed beside to the original Civil War documents which inspired the concerts.
Past exhibition: Sendak in the ’60s
Amidst the turbulence of 1960s America a quiet revolution took place where few expected it: the world of children’s books. Maurice Sendak was part of a vanguard of writers and illustrators transforming the American picture book and revolutionizing children’s culture in the ‘60s. This exhibition is the first to explore how Sendak’s art reflected both social and personal turmoil throughout the decade.
Past exhibition: Networking Before the Net
Sharing Information in the Pre-Digital Age
Explore the ways that people—historic and contemporary—have connected to each other and the world they live in. While modern technology has revolutionized the ease and speed with which humans can connect behavior that may seem novel today may just be new expressions of ongoing human interests. Networking before the Net offers a playful look at such “social media,” then and now.
Past exhibition: In the Beginning
Three Jewish Firsts in the Rosenbach Collection
Museum co-founder Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach assembled astonishing collections that document Jewish firsts. Spanning five centuries, these objects celebrate the rich and storied heritage of the Jewish people.
Past exhibition: The Night Max Wore His Wolf Suit
50 Years of Wild Things
Delve into Sendak’s working process and inspirations for Where the Wild Things Are and learn just how long this wild rumpus had been brewing in Sendak’s imagination. The Rosenbach is the only place you can see the original drawings during the book’s 50th anniversary year.
