“When I die Dublin will be written in my heart,” James Joyce proclaimed of his homeland. Ireland has inspired storytellers for centuries, and the Rosenbach is home to an incredible collection of this work. In this program we’ll explore a wide array of holdings, including Bram Stoker’s handwritten notes for his gothic classic Dracula, correspondence from the iconic and incomparable Oscar Wilde, and one of our most famous holdings, Joyce’s manuscript of his Modernist masterpiece Ulysses. The influence of these authors continues far beyond its time and far beyond Ireland’s rugged shores.  

• January 13, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• February 10, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• March 10, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• April 7, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• May 12, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

Step into the shadows of history with “Mad” Women. Over the course of five months, we will uncover richly imagined stories based on real figures or inspired by historical events—women imprisoned, executed, or exiled under the guise of madness or moral corruption. These aren't just tales of guilt or innocence. They are stories about women whose truths were too complex for the world to bear. Expect rich discussion, challenging themes, and a space to question everything you've been taught about madness and morality. 

Step out of the March chill and into the warmth of the Rosenbach for our free Open House! Reserve a timed-entry ticket to join us, then set out on a self-guided exploration of the Treasures galleries and historic library using our interactive mobile app. At 1:30 p.m., experience the power of Langston Hughes’s poetry, brought to life by master storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston.

Join us for a hands-on experience with the Brontëana in the Rosenbach’s collection, including a letter from Charlotte to her good friend Ellen Nussey and a manuscript of Charlotte’s preface to Jane Eyre.

Herman Melville possessed a warm heart for human nature, a cold eye for the human condition, and the ability to write prose that would awe a Biblical prophet. Join an odyssey through the Rosenbach’s mighty Melville collection in this Behind the Bookcase tour. We’ll chart our voyage through early editions of Melville’s novels and handwritten letters, seeking the source of Melville’s greatness and reflecting on his legacy in the modern day. All aboard as, in the words of Moby-Dick’s Ishmael, we “sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.” 

This American history book club is a partnership of Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach Museum & Library. Sessions meet variously at Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach; check individual program descriptions for details. At least one book club session in the season will include a presentation of rare collection materials related to the themes and topics under discussion during the meetings. 

Join us for this rare peek into some of the most personal and emotional writing in our collections. We’ll start with the yearnings of poet and notorious romantic John Keats, who signed “yours forever” in letters to the object of his affection, Fanny Brawne. Spend an evening with us as we get up close and personal with a variety of treasures, like handwritten pages from James Joyce’s Ulysses, correspondence from Marlene Dietrich to Mercedes De Acosta, and much more.

Join us for this rare peek into some of the most personal and emotional writing in our collections. We’ll start with the yearnings of poet and notorious romantic John Keats, who signed “yours forever” in letters to the object of his affection, Fanny Brawne. Spend an evening with us as we get up close and personal with a variety of treasures, like handwritten pages from James Joyce’s Ulysses, correspondence from Marlene Dietrich to Mercedes De Acosta, and much more.

• January 13, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• February 10, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• March 10, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• April 7, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• May 12, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

Step into the shadows of history with “Mad” Women. Over the course of five months, we will uncover richly imagined stories based on real figures or inspired by historical events—women imprisoned, executed, or exiled under the guise of madness or moral corruption. These aren't just tales of guilt or innocence. They are stories about women whose truths were too complex for the world to bear. Expect rich discussion, challenging themes, and a space to question everything you've been taught about madness and morality. 

The sewn boards binding developed by Gary Frost is a modern version of one of the earliest forms of the codex. This structure has been used to rebind books as a library binding and as a limited-edition binding for new artist works. The book opens flat and is a great structure for beginning bookbinders. In this class, you will learn to make this unique book, which can be a notebook, a sketchbook, a gift, or a model for additional handmade books. 

Join us for a special preview of the Rosenbach Book Arts Center–see the Iron Handpress in action, learn a little about the history and artistry of letterpress, and maybe pull a print of your own! 

From hidden doorways to forgotten realms, this Behind the Bookcase Tour takes readers deep into the heart of classic fantasy. 

This American history book club is a partnership of Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach Museum & Library. Sessions meet variously at Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach; check individual program descriptions for details. At least one book club session in the season will include a presentation of rare collection materials related to the themes and topics under discussion during the meetings. 

Raise a glass to the Bard of Ayrshire, Robert Burns, with an evening of raucous readings of poems and songs. Join us for a celebration featuring music, poetry, and a scotch tasting. There will be haggis!

Explore some of the first books printed in the Hebrew language, which date to the 15^th century. Each has its own visual beauty and story to tell about early printing in Europe, local cultural tensions, and cross-cultural alliances, change, and continuity. Whether you are a reader of Hebrew or not, you can engage with these volumes and learn about early works of philosophy, literature, and faith.

Mathematician and cleric Charles Lutwidge Dodgson published children’s books under the pen name Lewis Carroll. This tour will explore both the man and the author, showcasing letters from Dodgson to his publishers, original drawings by John Tenniel (the illustrator of the Alice books), photographs of children taken by Carroll, and of course, copies of his books. We may not figure out why a raven is like a writing desk, or believe six impossible things before breakfast, but it is sure to be an enlightening tour, nonetheless.

• January 13, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• February 10, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• March 10, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• April 7, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

• May 12, 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET

Step into the shadows of history with “Mad” Women. Over the course of five months, we will uncover richly imagined stories based on real figures or inspired by historical events—women imprisoned, executed, or exiled under the guise of madness or moral corruption. These aren't just tales of guilt or innocence. They are stories about women whose truths were too complex for the world to bear. Expect rich discussion, challenging themes, and a space to question everything you've been taught about madness and morality. 

What is the difference between a fake and a forgery? How do either of those differ from a copy? And why does authenticity matter in museum collections? In this tour, we’ll explore these questions with a wide range of objects in the Rosenbach’s collection. We’ll look at some of “Shakespeare’s” greatest works, a mug that once “belonged” to George Washington, a manuscript draft by Edgar Allan Poe, and more to uncover the truths and reveal the mysteries that follow fakes and forgeries. 

Celebrate the holiday season in the style of Charles Dickens: with good fellowship, music, and punch!

This American history book club is a partnership of Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach Museum & Library. Sessions meet variously at Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach; check individual program descriptions for details. At least one book club session in the season will include a presentation of rare collection materials related to the themes and topics under discussion during the meetings. 

This holiday season, help the Rosenbach and the Winterthur Library mark the 250^th birthday of Jane Austen with a Pride & Prejudice-themed tea party in the parlor and dining room of the historic Rosenbach townhome on beautiful Delancey Place in Philadelphia!  

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, we honor her alongside the remarkable women novelists of the 18th and 19th centuries who reshaped literature and claimed their place in history.

• May 13, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

• June 3, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

• July 8, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

• September 9, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

• October 14, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

• November 11, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

• December 9, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

This special book club season of The Ladies of the House of Love will begin with three iconic Gothic works, including one, Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), that Austen heavily satirizes in Northanger Abbey. Then, the club will explore lesser-known books that Austen references as “horrid novels” in Northanger. Finally, on December 9, 2025, just one week before Austen’s 250th birthday, the club will read Northanger Abbey and hold a birthday party for the Authoress.  Don’t miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of the Gothic as part of a community of fellow book lovers and Janeites!

The Harlem Renaissance is the fulcrum for this look “behind the bookcase” at great Black writers. Beginning with Paul Laurence Dunbar, the first acclaimed Black poet after Emancipation, we’ll spend the bulk of our time with letters and first editions of poet Langston Hughes and philosopher Alain LeRoy Locke. 

Delancey Society members are cordially invited to enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and holiday cheer at the gracious home of Rosenbach Board Member Lenni H. Steiner.  

Portrait miniatures originated in 16th century Europe, where these small, hand-painted likenesses were designed to be portable and personal keepsakes. They were tokens of affection, mementos of loved ones, and status symbols. Painted on vellum or ivory, they were often framed with precious metals and jewels like cameos. The tradition continued until the advent of photography in the mid-19th century.   

In “DEAR JOHN,” a special exhibition in the Rosenbach’s Treasures: History of the Material Text gallery, artist John Wind takes inspiration from this tradition but shifts the emphasis from the subject to the frame—concocting elaborate, exuberant compositions that provide a more modern take on the genre. 

Make your own Portrait Miniature in this in-person workshop. Bring a small photo or print of a favorite image (up to about 4”x5”) and Wind will provide all the other supplies needed to embellish and frame the image in a meaningful and personal way.  

Come study Emily Dickenson’s letters in her own writing, re-examine the first editions of her works, and learn how her first editors reshaped her poetry to fit their own conceptions. We’ll explore the myth of the Belle and learn more about the Modern Emily. 

This American history book club is a partnership of Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach Museum & Library. Sessions meet variously at Carpenters’ Hall and the Rosenbach; check individual program descriptions for details. At least one book club session in the season will include a presentation of rare collection materials related to the themes and topics under discussion during the meetings. 

Get up close and personal with material culture in this special collaborative Behind the Bookcase tour! This program will bring some of the beautiful and bizarre items that make up the over 1 million objects of the Winterthur Library collection to the Rosenbach. 

Get up close and personal with material culture in this special collaborative Behind the Bookcase tour! This program will bring some of the beautiful and bizarre items that make up the over 1 million objects of the Winterthur Library collection to the Rosenbach.