Treasures from the Rosenbach’s Collection: A Permanent Exhibition of Captivating Rare Books, Manuscripts, Artworks, & Artifacts
What do you treasure?
The Rosenbach’s new Treasures galleries welcome you into the fascinating world of collecting rare books, manuscripts, and art. Explore the Rosenbach’s collection and gain new insights into the spectacular holdings of this one-of-a-kind institution.
Treasures from the Rosenbach’s Collection: Literature of Great Britain & Ireland
The Rosenbach is one of the world’s great libraries containing literature of the British Isles. In this permanent exhibition, you are invited to explore highlights from the Rosenbach while you cozy up with a book next to the gallery’s fireplace and enjoy your favorite work of literature! Authors and topics featured in the Treasures gallery include Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Phillis Wheatley, Ignatius Sancho, the African diaspora, Oscar Wilde and LGBTQ literature, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes, Lewis Carroll, Bram Stoker and Dracula, Joseph Conrad, and, of course, James Joyce and Ulysses. This immersive, welcoming gallery will take you on a literary voyage to the British Isles and introduce you to some of the Rosenbach’s thought-provoking treasures, with a few surprises along the way.
Treasures from the Rosenbach’s Collection: History of the Material Text
The world-renowned collections of the Rosenbach Museum & Library reflect the lives and legacies of our founders, the brothers Philip and Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach. Having built a thriving business in the rare book, manuscript, and art trades, the brothers emerged as leading civic figures in Jewish American circles and beyond, assembling the core of the collection housed at the Rosenbach today. This new permanent gallery showcases archival materials documenting the history of the Rosenbach family and company as well as treasures from the Rosenbach’s collection of medieval manuscripts, early modern printed books, continental European literature, and Judaica. Immerse yourself in the legacy of the Rosenbach brothers, their collecting interests, and the history of the book with a visit to this new Treasures gallery.
The inaugural installation of the gallery also includes artwork by Rosenbach neighbor John Yaron Wind, inspired by Rosenbach Company archival records. Wind’s installation, titled "Dear John," is a conversation across time, weaving together the legacies of the Rosenbach brothers, Philadelphia gentleman lawyer John Frederick Lewis, and artist John Yaron Wind. Having purchased and renovated Lewis’ former private library to serve as his residence, Wind reflects on the intersection of history, identity, and achievement, blending materials from the library with his own story to create art that explores shared heritage and cultural reinvention. The installation situated within the Treasures gallery celebrates the enduring power of art in connecting past and present. On view through December 18, 2026.
