6 thought-provoking exhibitions around the US
Libraries are for more than just checking out books


Books may be the main draw of a library, but they are not the only attraction. Museum-quality exhibitions that tap into an institute's vast archives can also bring in a crowd. These showcases at some of the best libraries in the U.S. are free and open for everyone to, well, check out.
'Alta / A Human Atlas of a City of Angels,' Los Angeles Central Library
"Alta" focuses on 100 remarkable Angelenos who are creating positive change in the city, telling their stories through portraits, ancestral DNA and interviews. The exhibition provides an "excellent" opportunity to learn about these individuals in a "storied setting," NBC Los Angeles said, and also shows how their lives intersect with Southern California's past, present and future. (through April 27)
'Collecting Memories: Treasures from the Library of Congress,' Library of Congress
A handwritten account of the bombing of Hiroshima, James Madison's crystal flute, the autobiography of an enslaved West African scholar and an AIDS Memorial Quilt panel are among the 127 objects on display in this inaugural exhibition at the Library of Congress' new David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery. The exhibit focuses on the "preservation of cultural memories," The Washington Post said, with many items, like several original "Spider-Man" comic panels, being "quintessentially American." (through December)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'Precious, Almost Sacred: Voting Rights in America,' Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies at the University of Georgia
The long, hard battle for equal voting rights is examined in this exhibition, which uses newspaper clippings, letters and photos to chronicle Georgia's role in the fight. Special focus is placed on "monumental steps" like the Voting Rights Act of 1965, WUGA said. That act "began the journey towards removing racial discrimination at the polls." Other displays look at voter suppression, disenfranchisement and the creation of absentee ballots. (through June)
'Rhythm is My Business: Women Who Shaped Jazz,' New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
The early jazz scene was filled with women composers, instrumentalists, bandleaders and arrangers who were often considered novelties and, as such, were not taken seriously. These groundbreaking artists get their due in "Rhythm is My Business," their music coming alive through audio, video and other archival items from the New York Public Library's vast collection. (through June 13)
'Secretary to the People,' Parkway Central Library in Philadelphia
Artist Sheryl Oring has spent the last two decades traveling the U.S. with her vintage typewriter, asking Americans to dictate messages to the president. She makes two copies: one the participant can send to the White House and one for her archives.
"Secretary to the People" showcases dozens of these missives, which include words of advice, praise and admonishment. Oring sees her project as a "type of radical listening," she said to WHYY, and leaning in to accurately hear Americans' words is a "quintessential" part of the experience. (through April 30)
'Taught by the Pen: The World of Islamic Manuscripts,' Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University
In this celebration of Islam's "interconnected artistic, religious and scholarly traditions," visitors can view more than 150 Qurans, calligraphy albums, poetry collections, prayer books and maps spanning the 9th to 19th centuries, the Yale Library said. These works hail from the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Asia and North America, and the exhibition delves into how the manuscripts and the "ideas they contain" were "transmitted and disseminated" around the world. (through Aug. 10)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
US proposes eroding species protections
Speed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Today's political cartoons - April 17, 2025
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - Harvard University, small businesses, and more
By The Week US
-
6 trackers to help you find everything from your keys to your kids
The Week Recommends These devices offer accuracy and ease
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
6 stellar noctourism adventures
The Week Recommends After the sun sets, the fun begins
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
7 nightlife destinations that are positively electric
The Week Recommends Accra, Seoul, Berlin: These are a few of the cities that come alive after dark
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
The perfect picnic is a grass patch away with this collection of 8 essential portables
The Week Recommends Celebrate warmer weather by dining alfresco
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Unlocking the wonders of Bhutan
The Week Recommends Exploring this Himalayan nation has never been easier
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
6 hotels with amenities that blow the usual gifts out of the water
The Week Recommends You can have a butler walk your dog and a guitar sent to your room. But you cannot have your guitar walked.
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
18 slang words and phrases we can thank (or blame) Gen Z for
In Depth Younger Americans have put their stamp on our language with these neologisms
By David Faris
-
TV to watch in April, including 'The Last of Us' and 'The Rehearsal'
the week recommends The zombie virus persists, Nathan Fielder investigates plane crashes and a cancer patient craves sexual discovery
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US