Where Do We Go From Here: The history and future of sex education in the United States

The exhibition explores a wide range of materials spanning from the early 20th century to the present, combining school curricula, legal documents addressing the implementation of sex education in public schools, as well as advice books aimed at both parents and adolescents. 

By presenting these items side by side, the exhibition invites visitors to consider the evolution of sex education: what has changed, but also the persistent gaps that remain. It encourages reflection on questions of access, inclusion, identity and ability, and asks us to think critically about what equitable and comprehensive sex education could look like in the future. 

Where Do We Go From Here? will be on view from August 25 through December 18, 2026, in the Morris Library Information Room at the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press during regular library hours. 

This exhibition is curated by Beth Wojciechowski, an undergraduate student in the Departments of Communication and Women and Gender Studies, and Alison Wessel, social sciences librarian, with support from Petra Clark, instruction librarian for Special Collections. 

Hallowed Grounds: Monuments and Memorials to Abraham Lincoln

Organized in celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the exhibition draws from the Lincoln Club of Delaware’s Abraham Lincoln Collection to explore how and why Lincoln is honored and remembered across generations. 

Hallowed Grounds is on view from August 25 through December 18, 2026, in the Lincoln Exhibition Case, which is located outside the Special Collections Gallery in Morris Library during the Library’s regular hours.

The Vibrant World of Lead Minerals 

Lead may be best known for its dull, gray appearance, but in the mineral world, it reveals a far more dazzling side. The exhibition invites viewers to explore the unexpected beauty of lead-based minerals—brilliant, colorful and captivating specimens that defy the element’s ordinary reputation. 

From vibrant mimetite to sparkling galena, lead plays a surprising role in the formation of eye-catching minerals. Even in everyday objects, its influence is seen—like in leaded glass, or crystal, which owes its signature sparkle and weight to the presence of lead. 

This exhibition showcases an array of stunning lead minerals from around the globe, including specimens from Australia, Namibia, Morocco and the United States.  

A highlight of the collection is a remarkable bright yellow mimetite from Mexico, sourced from the long-shuttered Congresso Mine. In 1968, mineral dealer Benny Fenn descended 900 feet into the abandoned site and discovered a hidden chamber, 40 by 20 feet, lined with vivid yellow crystals. After months of careful extraction, the mimetite specimens debuted at mineral shows by the hundreds — today, they are prized rarities. 

Located in Penny Hall (255 Academy Street), the exhibit will be on display until December 8, 2026. 

Celebrating Labor and Local Workers with Special Collections

Labor is woven into the history of Delaware — shaped by the people whose skill, dedication and advocacy built industries, strengthened communities and helped define the region.  

In honor of Labor Day, this pop-up exhibition from the University of Delaware Library’s Special Collections explores the history of the Chrysler Newark Assembly Plant and the Delaware workers who powered its success for decades. 

Drawing from records preserved from the former plant, Chrysler employees and Delaware congressional collections, the exhibition highlights the role of the United Auto Workers local, the experiences of workers and the efforts of Delaware government officials who advocated for local jobs and economic opportunity. 

This exhibition is on view August 25 through November 6, 2026, in the Morris Library Information Room during the Library’s regular hours. 

This exhibition was curated by Holly Deakyne, processing archivist.

Quartz

Quartz is the second most common mineral in the earth’s crust. It comprises the majority of sand beaches in the world due to its abundance, hardness and resistance to erosion. It also forms crystals which can be very large. Although often transparent or white, other color varieties include amethyst (purple), citrine (yellow-orange) and gray or black (smoky). 

The exhibition is on view in the Mineralogical Museum in Penny Hall from September 1 through Dec. 8, 2026.The Mineralogical Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Assembled: Collage, Assemblage and Mixed Media

These three experimental techniques challenge the boundaries of traditional or rigid categories of art by incorporating found objects or repurposed imagery alongside hand-applied materials, creating new compositions and new meanings and offering a reflective approach to questions of authorship. Drawing on a key strength of the collection, the exhibition highlights works built through accumulation, juxtaposition and transformation. 

These visual exchanges between the handmade and the sourced invite close looking and reflection on how artists construct new narratives from existing materials. 

The installation displays works by twenty-four different artists, including David Driskell and Sam Gilliam, alongside recent acquisitions, including collages by Phoebe Beasley, John Digby and Theodore A. Harris, and an assemblage by Carol Cole. 

Intended for students, faculty, staff, and the broader public, Assembled supports critical inquiry while emphasizing the continued relevance of experimental practices in modern and contemporary art. 

The exhibition is on view September 1, 2026 through December 8, 2026 in Mechanical Hall during regular operating hours.

The People Could Fly: Black Religion, Spirituality and Liberation

The title story from Virginia Hamilton’s 1985 collection of folktales, The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales, explores the legend of the flying Africans. These supernatural figures, who have appeared in narratives across the dispersion of people, whose homeland is Africa or the diaspora, are often understood as a reflection of a longing to return “home.” In these instances, home can be many places: ancestral lands, the afterlife or some fictional space associated with the possibility of freedom. 

Together, these works understand the multifaceted range of Black religious traditions as journeys to a present or eventual spiritual home where a shared freedom can be enjoyed.

Exploring the impact of these cultural phenomena, this exhibition will traverse an expansive range of traditions, including indigenous African spirituality, Voodoo, Islam and Christianity. Ultimately, these works not only honor the multifaceted nature of Black religions, but also showcase a shared belief in the unalienable rights of Black life.

Guest curated by Qiaira Riley, UD museums graduate research assistant, the exhibition is on view September 1 through December 8, 2026, in Old College West Gallery during regular operating hours.

Personal Lives: Staff Selections from Special Collections

From rare books and manuscripts to artworks and contemporary zines, the University of Delaware’s Special Collections is home to many unique items that enhance teaching, learning and research. UD's expert staff work closely with these materials on a daily basis, acquiring new items, describing and preparing collections for use and coordinating instruction sessions and research visits.

While hundreds of visitors engage with Special Collections each year, the staff who care for these materials often form personal connections to the items they encounter along the way. What sparks their curiosity? What memories, emotions or reflections emerge while processing a collection or handling an object?

From new acquisitions to old favorites, the items on view offer a window into the people behind Special Collections and the meaning they make from the collections in their care.  

The exhibition is on view August 25, 2026 until May 28, 2027, in the Special Collections Gallery in Morris Library. The Special Collections Gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

This exhibition is curated by the University of Delaware’s Special Collections staff with design and installation assistance from Holly Ponce, doctoral student from the Department of English.

Intervals of Study: Space and Interior Relations

Inspired by the concept of a reading room, the exhibition includes finalized work along with the developmental studies that inform them. Just as one interprets language from a text, select studies offer an intimate glimpse into my search for understanding the language of painting and drawing. This ongoing experience unfolds across distinct thematic groupings within the gallery space.

This exhibition was curated by alumni artist Kyle Hackett, Class of 2011. He acknowledges and honors the late Robert "Bob" Straight and Peter Williams, who were his painting and drawing professors at the University of Delaware. 

“They were two influential faculty and mentors of mine, extending their support well beyond my studies into my career,” he said. “My first time oil painting and figure drawing were with them. I am forever grateful for their belief and encouragement which has shaped who I am today as both an artist and educator.”

The exhibition is on view through May 28, 2027, in the Morris Library Reading Room during normal Morris Library hours.