In celebration of Mexican Independence Day, join us for a yoga experience inspired by the visionary work of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz—the 17th-century Mexican poet, philosopher, and nun who defied convention to pursue a life of intellectual and spiritual inquiry. 

The Rosenbach's verdant urban hideaway (our backyard garden) connects us to the grottoes of antiquity that influenced French and Italian gardens, fine art, and design after the discoveries of the ruins of Nero's Domus Aurea in the 1480s and Pompeii in 1599. These artifact-filled European gardens provided refuge from summer heat and the possibility of transformative encounters, both human and divine. In this program, we will discover the ancient myths found in the Rosenbach's garden sculptures and connect them to the literature inside our building that present and reinterpret ancient themes, including works by Homer, Sappho, Catullus, Shakespeare, Wheatley, and Joyce. 

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 his 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.”

Experience the founding of America through original manuscripts and early printed editions that bring to life the work of John Adams, Founding Father and second U.S. President; Abigail Adams, humanitarian and activist; George Washington, Revolutionary commander and first U.S. President; Thomas Jefferson, Declaration author and third U.S. President; Phillis Wheatley, the first published African American poet; and their contemporaries.

For many centuries, Queer people have faced marginalization by mainstream society. Yet their obstacles have also given them unique perspectives on the human experience and inspired important contributions to art, literature, and politics. In this tour, we will meet Queer people from history and consider how their diverse identities shaped their lives and informed their work.

In this hands-on printing workshop, you will use a 19th century iron handpress to create your own, personal copies of U.S. founding documents–such as Common Sense and the Federalist Papers. The workshop will be accompanied by a discussion of how print culture has served as a tool of change and given voice to the people, with examples from the Rosenbach collection.

We will explore the books of that period that reveal his experiences, as this descendant of Portuguese Jews forced to convert during the Inquisition collides with New England Puritanism. Our story brings together a compelling cast of characters, a public spectacle in Harvard Yard, and some of Dr. Rosenbach’s treasures of Early American Judaica.

Join us in the Rosenbach’s historic Library as we look at Joyce’s celebrated novel to uncover the impact of ancient epic poetry on the structure of Ulysses. We will then engage in a close examination of a brief section of the novel to learn how Joyce reconstructs ancient poetic wordplay in a tour-de-force of erudition, competition, and Modernist innovation.

As we mark the 250th anniversary of Stephen Girard’s arrival in Philadelphia in 1776, come to historic Founder’s Hall to learn about this notable Philadelphian’s remarkable life story, explore the collection of books, manuscripts, artworks, and artifacts he left behind, and consider his complex, contested legacy for his adopted city and nation.  

Join the Rosenbach Board and Delancey Society for our festive annual Spring Soirée.

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.

Join the Rosenbach Museum & Library for a consideration of the development of the office of the presidency over the last 250 years.

This tour examines early printed books in English, Latin, Dutch, Hebrew, and Native American languages to tell a story of cultural misunderstanding and religious longing in an age of exploration and expansion. 

Few writers of the 19th century fused literature, religion, and politics quite as poetically as Victor Hugo. Join us to look at the Rosenbach's Hugo collection and related literary forces including Shakespeare, Dickens, and Flaubert. 

Join us for a special Member Appreciation Breakfast as we celebrate the community that makes the Rosenbach so vibrant.

• 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. 

This four-session class will cover the foundations of letterpress, from setting metal type to pulling prints. Learn about the history of printing through exploring an extraordinary publication: Phillis Wheatley’s Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.  

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 John Wind will provide all the other supplies needed to embellish and frame the image in a meaningful and personal way.  

This program invites you to dive deep into the imagination, history, and cultural legacy surrounding Alice and her creator, Lewis Carroll. Drawing from original artifacts, rare editions, and materials from the Rosenbach collection, we will examine how real-life Alice was transformed into a literary icon. 

Explore the collection’s most evocative natural history treasures, where centuries of scientific curiosity come alive. Grounded in careful observations of the living world, these and other early works of zoology, botany, and geology offer an intimate glimpse into the evolving art of describing nature. 

Join us in the Rosenbach’s historic library as we begin this series with Phillis Wheatley’s 18th-century publication, Poems on Various Subjects... and discover her use of Latin lyric and comic poetry to construct her literary persona.

Let’s bring back the Medieval trend of wearing books as fashion accessories! In this hands-on bookbinding class, you will craft a belt book inspired by the Rosenbach’s 1364 illuminated almanac [MS 1004/29], which is also known as a “bat book.” 

The program will begin at the Rosenbach for a tour of the exhibition Treasures from the Rosenbach’s Collection: History of the Material Text before stepping outside for a short walk to the John Frederick Lewis / John Wind home on Delancey Place. Guests will be welcomed with light refreshments and an opportunity to step back in time. 

The apparent simplicity of Emily Dickinson’s poetry is deceptive—beneath her brief, direct language lies profound depths of emotion and insight. In this three-part yoga series, we’ll explore her life and work through movement, breath, and reflection.

Session 3: Wonder & Interconnection 

• 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. 

This Behind the Bookcase tour will explore the intersection of genres in the first half of the 20th century, and how the discipline of music led the arts into Modernism. We will be looking at the incendiary works of Igor Stravinsky, the collaborative musicology of Ezra Pound and George Antheil, and John Cage’s structured silence. We will also discuss the impact of Modernist literary figures on the music scene by looking at works by James Joyce and Dylan Thomas in the Rosenbach’s collection.  

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. 

“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.