Exhibitions

Current exhibition

Seized Books!

In 1984, London's Gay's the Word book shop was raided by HM Customs and Excise, seizing LGBTQ+ books & charging staff. A public fight for LGBT rights ensued.

Learn more about the exhibition

Upcoming exhibition

In the Grip of Change: the Caribbean and its British Diaspora

Coming soon - opening on 29 October 2024

Learn more about the exhibition

Previous exhibitions

Shakespeare’s First Folios: a 400-year journey

Find out more about Senate House Library's exciting new exhibition, Shakespeare’s First Folios: a 400-year journey.

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Senate House Library 150

We are celebrating 150 years since Senate House Library's founding collections were established with this online exhibition of featured treasures.

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Childhood in Dickensian London

Free exhibition - Childhood in Dickensian London (20 January - 20 June 2020)

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Reformation

Reformation
26 Jun - 15 Dec 2017

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Radical Voices

16 Jan - 19 May 2017

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Utopia and Dystopia

03 Oct - 17 Dec 2016

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Shakespeare: Metamorphosis

14 Apr - 17 Sep 2016

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Not with words but with things

18 Jan - 22 Mar 2016

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Illumination

28 Sep - 19 Dec 2015

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Writing in Times of Conflict

This exhibition showcased the power of words to achieve peace and reconciliation over the last 100 years.

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Staging Magic

The exhibition features stories from over 400 years of magic, in the form of sleight of hand (legerdemain) and stage illusions.

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Rights for Women

This exhibition explored some of the famous and lesser-known stories of over 50 women pioneers.

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Queer Between the Covers

Queer Between the Covers explored over 250 years of queer literature.

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Library events

Event date: 04 Nov 24

Mary Brodrick: pioneer Egyptologist

Join us for a talk by Rosalind Janssen on pioneer Egyptologist and keen geographer Mary (May) Brodick. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

Senate House Library

Event date: 04 Nov 24

Event date: 07 Nov 24

Psychology Research Day 2024

Register for the seventh annual Psychology Research Day delivered by the British Psychological Society in collaboration with Senate House Library. A free online event.

Online events and webinars, Senate House Library

Event date: 07 Nov 24

Event date: 19 Nov 24

Collective emotions: Jane Harrison and the interplay of myth and ritual in Ancient Greece

Join us for a talk by Sue Blundell on the life of Jane Harrison and her theories on Greek art, ritual and myth. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

Senate House Library

Event date: 19 Nov 24