Maihaugen Gallery & Hayden Loft – Guidelines for Exhibitors
Maihaugen Gallery (14N-130) offers a secure, museum-grade exhibition space to highlight historical documents, rare books, maps, artwork, photographs, and other materials from the MIT Libraries Department of Distinctive Collections.
The Hayden Loft Case (14S-100) is a single display case that provides an opportunity to highlight topics related to MIT history or Distinctive Collections initiatives. Materials in this case must be replicas or facsimiles.
Exhibit proposals
Who can propose an exhibit in the Maihaugen Gallery or Hayden Loft?
Current MIT faculty, students, and staff can propose an exhibit. Student proposals must list a faculty advisor.
What exhibit topics will be considered?
A wide range of topics will be considered, but exhibits must include materials from Distinctive Collections. Proposals will be evaluated by criteria such as:
- Relevance to MIT teaching, learning, and research. Exhibits that are the result of an MIT class are encouraged.
- Timeliness: for example, coinciding with the anniversary of a historic event or milestone
- Use of library collections
- Suitability for the selected exhibit space(s)
How long are exhibits typically on view?
Exhibits should be open no less than three months and not longer than six months.
How do I submit a proposal?
Fill out the Maihaugen Gallery/Hayden Loft Exhibition Proposal form.
Maihaugen Gallery proposals will be evaluated during the fall term and submitters will be notified in the spring term for exhibits scheduled for the following calendar year. For example:
- Fall 2024 – accepting proposals for 2026; committee will review and select two exhibits
- Winter 2025 – selected curators notified
- January 2026 and August 2026 – exhibits installed and opened
Hayden Loft proposals may be evaluated during the fall term and the spring term. Hayden Loft exhibits require 3-6 months lead time from proposal acceptance to exhibit opening.
Exhibit planning & installation
What are the responsibilities of the curator?
The curator is responsible for the following work, as well as associated costs:
- Writing interpretive text: wall panels and object labels
- Graphic design, production, and installation of the title panel and gallery graphics
- Providing any additional interpretive media such as slideshows or videos with captions (Maihaugen only)
- Ensuring that graphics and interpretive materials meet accessibility best practices, with sufficient type size, contrast, video captions, etc.
- Providing a brief description, images, and exhibit graphic identity, if available, for marketing purposes
- Producing printed marketing materials or other promotion beyond what the Libraries provide (see below)
- Funding the cost of graphic design and installation of panels, as well as any events & marketing.
What support do the Libraries provide?
Libraries staff are responsible for:
- Assisting the exhibit curator in selecting and pulling materials from Distinctive Collections
- Coordinating digitization of Distinctive Collections materials for use in the exhibit
- Reviewing exhibit interpretive text and gallery graphic design; providing contacts for preferred vendors for graphic design and installation
- Repainting the accent wall outside Maihaugen Gallery
- Any necessary conservation of materials
- Installation of items in the exhibit cases
- Marketing the exhibit via the Libraries website exhibit page, e-newsletter, and social media channels as available.
Related events
Can I organize an opening reception, speaker event, or other related event for an exhibit?
Yes. Plans for any events, including proposed speakers, should be submitted as part of the proposal.
Please note:
- An appropriate space must be reserved for the event type and the expected audience:
- Hayden Library Nexus event guidelines and request form
- Building 14 Courtyard event guidelines and request form
- Distinctive Collections Reading Room (email: distinctive-collections@mit.edu)
- Other Institute event venues
- Food and drink are not allowed in the Maihaugen Gallery.
- If the event takes place after 4 pm, curators must coordinate with Distinctive Collections to ensure Libraries’ staff are available to open and close the gallery.
- Please see additional information on planning events at MIT.