The Making of the Medieval Book

“The Making of Medieval Book” exhibition graphic

Bird Library, 6th Floor

January 27 - August 15, 2025

The exhibition showcases SCRC’s collection of predominantly Western European medieval manuscripts from the 13th to the 16th centuries, alongside examples of bookmaking from Persia, Japan and Ethiopia. The exhibition also features early printed and modern books inspired by the medieval book.

Medieval manuscripts have long fascinated the public with their hand-painted illuminations and decorated bindings. Often viewed as esoteric, precious works of art, they can seem largely inaccessible to all but specialists. Much more than treasures to be gazed upon, medieval manuscripts are dynamic and unique objects that hold a variety of stories, including about the natural and animal worlds, trade, religious movements, and the everyday lives of their makers and owners. By examining the ways, in which medieval books were made, used, and reused by various individuals and communities, as well as their place in modern imagination and book design, the exhibition explores the long history of the making of the medieval book. 

Curated by Irina Savinetskaya, Curator of Early to Pre-20th Century, the exhibition is on view during the spring and summer 2025.