Boston Public Library
Exhibitions

At the Central Library

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Charting an Empire: The Atlantic Neptune

Central Library, Copley Square (Norman B. Leventhal Map Center)
May 1–November 3, 2013
Monday–Thursday: 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Friday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

 

The period following the French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a time of change and discovery in North America. In this display of charts, views, and maritime objects, we look at the decade following the war, when Britain set out to accurately chart the coast and survey the inland areas of their new resource-rich empire in Atlantic Canada, as well as the eastern seaboard extending from New England to the West Indies. The resulting charts were published collectively by Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres in The Atlantic Neptune, a maritime atlas which set the standard for nautical charting for nearly half a century. Using nearly 30 items, including nautical charts, navigational instruments, and ship models dating from the 18th century to the present, this exhibition examines the importance of accurate charting of the new empire, defines how Britain put her mark on the land, and explores the complex processes of marine surveying and nautical chart production. Visit the Leventhal Map Center’s website to learn more.

Part I: Atlantic Canada (NOW OPEN: May 1 to July 27)

Part II: Eastern Seaboard of Colonial America (August 1 to November 3)

 

tn_InvitationObverse03The Art Institute of Boston: Celebrating 100 Years

Central Library, Copley Square (Wiggin Gallery)
March 22–June 29, 2013
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

The Art Institute of Boston: Celebrating 100 Years is one of many exhibitions and other events scheduled at venues throughout the Boston area during 2012-2013 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Art Institute of Boston (AIB). The exhibition also celebrates the Boston Public Library’s acquisition of works by Boston artists who have contributed to the Boston art scene both as professional artists and as long-time AIB faculty members. The exhibition will showcase prints, drawings, and photographs by faculty and students selected from the Print Department’s collection of works on paper by artists with ties to Boston.

 

Boston Sports Temples

Central Library, Copley Square (Johnson Lobby)
November 17, 2012 – May 31, 2013
Monday–Thursday: 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Boston Sports Temples showcases Boston’s beloved sports venues—most notably the Boston Garden, Fenway Park, Braves Field, and Suffolk Downs—and their unique roles in the daily lives and hearts of generations of New Englanders.  Featuring the BPL’s outstanding collection of historic sports photography, the exhibition will follow the creation and evolution of these four great public venues; their varied and changing roles, functions, and communities of users; and their powerful connections with millions of devoted fans who have filled their seats night after night, season after season. This exhibition is sponsored by the Boston Public Library Foundation.

 
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The Imaginative Worlds of Daniel Defoe:
Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders, and the Early Novel

Central Library, Copley Square (Rare Books Lobby)
February 25–August 30, 2013
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Not only did Daniel Defoe (c.1660-1731) write some of the first English novels, he imagined some of our most compelling novelistic plots, including Robinson Crusoe (1719) and Moll Flanders (1721).  This exhibition features the riches of the Boston Public Library’s William P. Trent Collection of Defoe and Defoeana.  One the most comprehensive rare book collections of Defoe’s works, the Trent Collection also features works that represent the early print culture of his time.  This is a collaborative exhibition between graduate students and faculty of the English Department of the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Rare Book and Manuscript Department of the Boston Public Library.