Explore Exhibits
Displaying exhibits 1 - 10 of 25 in total
From the South Side to Streeterville
Current northwestern chicago 20th century medical education May 1, 2025 - PresentThe Creation of the Chicago Campus Location: Eckenhoff Reading Room
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the groundbreaking of the Feinberg School of Medicine’s Ward building (May 8, 1925), this exhibit explores the story of the medical school’s move to Streeterville, including its former locations, the decision to move, the world of medical education and progress in the early 20th century, and the financial campaigns that raised millions to create the Chicago Campus.
Visualizing a Century of Public Health
Current public health 20th century art Feb 13, 2025 - PresentA Graphic Art Retrospective Location: Galter Library Mezzanine
Visit the library's Mezzanine to explore these striking, high-quality reproductions of historic public health posters, curated from the National Library of Medicine Digital Collections, the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and other repositories. Whether you’re interested in medical history, design, or public health communication, this collection offers a fascinating glimpse into the past—and a reflection on how we continue to tell stories of health and wellness today.
Reconstructing the Body
anatomy art imaging Oct 7, 2024 - Apr 29, 2025Location: Eckenhoff Reading Room
The images and artifacts in this exhibit reimagine and reconstruct the human body, as inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
Frankenstein
19th century 18th century literature science traveling exhibit Oct 7, 2024 - Nov 16, 2024Penetrating the Secrets of Nature Location: Library Atrium
Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein served as a metaphor for 19th century apprehensions about scientific advancement that still resonate today as science continues to penetrate the secrets of nature.
Reviving the Body
science 19th century 18th century literature Oct 7, 2024 - Apr 29, 2025Science, Frankenstein, and the "Spark of Life" Location: Eckenhoff Reading Room
Discover the scientific theories that inspired the animation of Frankenstein’s monster in Mary Shelley’s classic gothic horror novel, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. Researchers argued that galvanism, a sort of electricity they believed was the life force in all animals, could be used to resuscitate people, or possibly even reanimate a corpse. “How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge (Ch. 4),” especially when a spark can generate life?
The Bell Brothers and the Art of Surgical Anatomy
surgery biography 19th century anatomy art 18th century Feb 7, 2024 - Sep 30, 2024Location: Eckenhoff Reading Room
John and Charles Bell used their skills as educators and artists to advance novel ideas of educational reform and to create the field of surgical anatomy.
The Stormy Petrel & the Bull Moose
Current northwestern american history 20th century surgery political history chicago Jul 18, 2023 - PresentJ.B. Murphy & the Attempted Assassination of Theodore Roosevelt Location: Eisenberg Gallery
In October 1912, a would-be assassin's bullet brought former president Theodore Roosevelt into the path of renowned Chicago surgeon John Benjamin Murphy. This exhibit tells the story of the chance encounter between these larger-than-life figures in American history, exploring Murphy’s colorful career as well as the aftermath of Roosevelt’s shooting.
Healthcare in Chicago's Early (Im)migrant Communities
public health northwestern chicago immigration Mar 20, 2023 - Feb 7, 2024Location: Eckenhoff Reading Room
Immigrants and migrants who came to Chicago at the turn of the 20th century encountered attitudes ranging from sympathetic and paternalistic to outright hostile. When the existing healthcare systems could not—or would not—help them, they had to rely on traditional methods or establish their own institutions.
Outside/Inside
traveling exhibit public health immigration Mar 3, 2023 - Apr 22, 2023Immigration, Migration, and Health Care in the United States Location: Library Atrium
This traveling exhibit explores how immigrants’ and migrants’ experiences with American healthcare systems have changed over the past 130 years.
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A Snapshot of Women Faculty at Northwestern University Medical School
northwestern chicago women's history 20th century Nov 2, 2021 - Mar 20, 202325, 50, 75, and 100 years ago Location: Eckenhoff Reading Room
Meet 14 women from Feinberg’s past and present who have worked as research assistants, fellows, instructors, demonstrators, and professors in 1921, 1946, 1971, and 1996. Snapshots of these women’s lives highlight the challenges that women have faced—and still do—of working in the health sciences, while also celebrating the impacts that their research, teaching, clinical care, and mentorship have had on their patients, families, communities, and institutions.