Programs for the Public | Newberry

Programs for the Public

The Newberry organizes and hosts programs illuminating topics in the humanities through a variety of formats, including lectures, staged readings, music and dance performances, panel discussions, workshops, and more.

Some events are part of ongoing series, such as Conversations at the Newberry, Meet the Author talks, Programs for Genealogists, the weekly Newberry Colloquium, and exhibition-related programming; others are signature annual events, such as the Newberry Book Fair and the Bughouse Square Debates. Additional public programming may be sponsored by the Newberry’s Research Centers.

Most Newberry public programs are free. Seating is limited and obtaining free tickets in advance is required for many events; see the individual listings for details.

Many of our programs are recorded, and you can listen to them on our website.

Upcoming Public Programs

Friday, August 28, 2020 – Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Exhibitions
Renaissance Invention: Stradanus's "Nova Reperta"
During a time of globalization, colonization, and warfare, Europeans in the Renaissance embraced new technology even as they lamented its disruptive, destructive, and destabilizing consequences.
Tuesday, September 15, 2020 – Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Exhibitions
Decision 1920: A Return to "Normalcy"
In this exhibition, you are a voter faced with making an important choice in a moment of profound change.
Friday, October 2, 2020
Center for Renaissance Studies Programs
Cooking by the Book
A Conversation with Chefs and Authors
What do great cooks and writers learn from the recipes and foodways of the past? What can scholars learn from the ways we cook and think about cooking today? Find out in a conversation that brings together authors, chefs, and scholars who celebrate the history behind the foods we love.
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Chicago Poetry, Then and Now
Join us for an evening of poetry with Srikanth Reddy, Ed Roberson, Suzanne Buffam, and the Newberry’s Liesl Olson.
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Nova Reperta Beer Release
This small event takes place outside at the new Sketchbook taproom in Skokie and will follow strict COVID-19 safety guidelines. All guests will be socially distanced, masks will be required, and we suggest you dress for the weather. Capacity is limited to ensure social distancing.
Monday, October 12, 2020
Center for American Indian Studies Programs
Indigenous Foodways Past and Present
What can books from the early modern period tell us about Indigenous foodways, and what do they miss? How have Indigenous peoples preserved traditional foodways in spite of settler-colonialism, and how does this work continue today? Join us for a virtual conversation about how Indigenous foodways have been represented, appropriated, and misunderstood throughout history.
Friday, October 30, 2020
Center for Renaissance Studies Programs
Astrolabes and Armillary Spheres: Scientific Instruments and Prints in the Renaissance
A virtual conversation with Susan Dackerman (Stanford University) and Pedro Raposo (Adler Planetarium)
In this virtual conversation, Renaissance print scholar Susan Dackerman and historian of science Pedro Raposo will discuss the workings of early modern scientific instruments and their depiction on paper.