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MIT Libraries Exhibits

A window into MIT’s collections and communities

MIT Libraries Exhibits

The MIT Libraries hosts a variety of exhibitions and displays throughout the year in the Maihaugen Gallery, Hayden Loft Case, and other exhibit spaces in Hayden Lewis Music Library and Rotch Library.

Exhibits include historical documents, photographs, rare books, maps, artwork and artifacts from Libraries’ Distinctive Collections, as well as artwork from the community. Themes cover many disciplines including history, science, music, art & architecture, culture and current events.


Now open (or opening soon)

HHayden Library Loft Exhibit

From Samurai into Engineers

From Samurai into Engineers marks the 150th anniversary of the graduation of MIT’s first Japanese student, Eiichirō Honma (SB 1874), and highlights the experiences of Honma and other Japanese students at MIT who followed in his footsteps.

September 23, 2024 - April 30, 2025
MMaihaugen Gallery Exhibit

Refracted Histories

MIT Distinctive Collections saved a set of striking windows of gypsum and stained-glass, dating to the late 18th- to 19th c. Ottoman Empire. This exhibition illuminates the life of these historic windows, tracing their refracted histories from Egypt to MIT.

Opens February 26, 2025
LLewis Music Library Exhibit

Afrofuturism and Otherworldliness

A new exhibit in Lewis Music Library celebrates the visionary contributions of Afrofuturist artists across various genres and mediums. From the cosmic jazz of Sun Ra and the psychedelic funk of Parliament-Funkadelic and George Clinton, to the neo-soul of Erykah Badu and the sci-fi narratives of Octavia E. Butler, these artists have pushed the boundaries of creativity and imagination.

Opens March 4, 2025
View all exhibits