As the United States enters another contentious and consequential presidential election cycle, we explore fundamental questions about the history and future of the highest office in the land. Drawing on the collection of David Rosenbach Sackey, nephew of Philip and Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach, as well as the Rosenbach’s vast and remarkable collection of rare books, manuscripts, and artworks related to the American presidency, Succession will change the way you think about the roles and responsibilities of the executive office.

This year marks a century since the publication of James Joyce’s Modernist masterpiece, Ulysses. The Rosenbach, home to the only complete manuscript of the novel and the location of Philadelphia’s annual Bloomsday celebration, marks this occasion with a thematic walk around the novel’s eighteen episodes. 

Visitors to this exhibition will be asked to explore the designs and forms that define each artist’s career, consider the messages found within their work and the role of art in social commentary, and discover the meanings central to both artists’ creations, delving into the inspirations, themes, and messages that span both oeuvres.

Match your wits with a giant game board as you learn more about the Rosenbach’s famous acquisitions! From the Bay Psalm Book and Ulysses manuscript to the Dracula notes, Marianne Moore collection, and Gratz family portraits and more, test your knowledge. Then, sit down for a series of more intimate, written conversations with selections from across our collections that have something to say—about their pasts, their owners, collectors, and makers—and join curators and other visitors as we unravel their mysteries.

Featuring a stunning array of creations from fine art and silver to books and maps, Of Two Minds: Creative Couples in Art and History explores the achievements of romantic couples across centuries.

Frankenstein & Dracula: Gothic Monsters, Modern Science explores the creation of two of history’s most memorable monsters. In honor of the bicentennial of the publication of Frankenstein, handwritten pages of Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking novel will be displayed alongside Bram Stoker’s personal notes for Dracula for the first time, accompanied by scientific and medical works from the 19th century to the present.

The partner desk in the Rosenbach rare book library currently features books that inspired or were referenced in James Joyce’s literary endeavors. James Joyce: My Favorite Hero(es)  features Virgil, Dante, and Shakespeare. Be sure not to miss the case on the mantle, which explains Joyce’s early interest in Homer.

Since the beginning of printing, readers have thrilled to true crime tales of highwaymen and murderers and the last words of executed criminals. This exhibition chases both criminal and detective characters across a wide historical landscape and offers the chance to test visitors’ own sleuthing skills.

Beloved illustrator Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) was an avid book collector as well as creator, and bequeathed the Rosenbach more than 600 rare editions which enhance our collection in important ways. Through selected objects from this collection, Recent Acquisitions from the Bequest of Maurice Sendak will explore not only the literary and historical significance of these books but also why they were meaningful to their collector.

Presenting beautiful and curious specimens from five centuries of book ownership, from a 15th-century coat of arms to engravings inspired by Romantic artists, The Art of Ownership delves into the stories of these bookplates, the rare editions behind them, and the lives of the men and women who owned them.