University of Pittsburgh Library System

Late playwright and Pittsburgh native son August Wilson is best known for his unprecedented American Century Cycle- ten plays that convey the Black experience in each decade of the 20th Century. Materials on display in this exhibit will rotate periodically to showcase the breadth of the August Wilson Archive.

On September 27, 1926, excavation began for the University of Pittsburgh's iconic skyscraper now known as the Cathedral of Learning. The idea was proposed by John G. Bowman, who took up his duties as Chancellor in January 1921. Faced with growing enrollments and a space crisis, he seized on the idea of "a high building" as the solution. This exhibition explores the development of the Cathedral of Learning as a design project and endeavors to place it in the context of contemporary American architecture. In addition to drawing on material from the University Archives at the University of Pittsburgh Library System, the exhibition includes a range of original publications - books, popular magazines and professional journals - that illustrate the ways that skyscrapers were represented in print media.

Curated by Dr. Christopher Drew Armstrong, Director of Architectural Studies and Associate Professor of History of Art & Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh

Noh, a form of classical Japanese theater that emerged in the fourteenth century, was closely associated with the samurai elite. Four centuries later, Kabuki developed as popular theater for a broader public. Drawing on stories and characters from Noh, Kabuki reimagined them for new audiences, adding human emotions, dramatic encounters, elaborate dances, music, and spectacular action. Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, like the ones on display, vividly capture how Kabuki transformed the restrained movements and stylized music of Noh into dynamic and visually spectacular performances.

This exhibit features prints from the Tsukioka Kōgyo Collection, the Mae and Richard Smethurst Japanese Print Collection, and the Japanese Theater Print Collection in Archives & Special Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System.

Curated by Hiroyuki Good, Japanese and Korean Studies Librarian, University of Pittsburgh Library System

The Horror Studies Collection at the University of Pittsburgh Library System is comprised of rare books, pulps, comics, and film and literary archives. Included is the George A. Romero Archival Collection, documenting the life and work of the independent filmmaker best known for Night of the Living Dead (1968). Materials on display in this exhibit will rotate periodically to showcase the breadth of the Horror Studies Collection.

Curated by Ben Rubin, Horror Studies Collection Coordinator

This exhibit will introduce you to several photographers whose work is held by the University of Pittsburgh Library System, including their more creative works. Collectively, these photographers’ careers cover 140 years of photographic history, showcasing the evolution of process, format, and equipment.

Featuring the work of Edith Darlington Ammon, O’Hara Darlington, Charles Hart Spencer, John Gates, William H. Wolf, Edward J. Shourek, Walter J. Teskey, Harold Corsini, Patrick J. (PJ) Tyrell, Paul Slantis, Robert G. Pflaum, Charles R. Martin, Forest “Bud” Harris, Norman Rabinovitz, Herb Ferguson, Frank R. Hightower, and Frank H. Hightower.

Curated by Miriam Meislik, Archives & Special Collections Media Curator, and Zoë Spear, Archives & Special Collections Undergraduate Assistant

This exhibit introduces woodblock prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), who was an outstanding modern graphic artist of the Noh and Kyōgen theatres, found in our special collections. Noh and Kyōgen, originating in the fourteenth century, were associated with samurai culture. Users can explore Kōgyo's prints depicting different scenes from the same Noh plays by interacting with the digital wall.

“The copycats make money, but they’re not the ones making their own vistas,” Sam Rivers said in a 1999 interview. “I’m into making vistas.”

This exhibit chronologically documents some of the major moments in Samuel Carthorne Rivers' (1927-2011) life and career, using his own words and quotes from those who knew him best. These come from from interviews in a variety of sources documented in Rick Lopez's book The Sam Rivers Sessionography. Images from the Sam Rivers Archive at the University of Pittsburgh are also featured.

Curated by Kathryn Haines, Center for American Music

Celebrate August Wilson's (Apr 27, 1945-Oct 2, 2005) 80th birthday with this exhibit of archival documents & August Wilson Society (AWS) history! See intimate glimpses into Wilson's work that don't usually see the limelight: his poetry, drawings, & items he collected. See how his legacy is uplifted with the creation of the AWS, a multidisciplinary community of educators, visual and performing artists, students, theatre professionals & theatre lovers dedicated to commemorating Wilson's legacy.

Curated by Dr. Michelle Cruz, Board Member, and Lolita Horne, Former Board Member, of the August Wilson Society

The Archival Scholars Research Award (ASRA) is designed to facilitate undergraduate research utilizing the distinctive collections housed across the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS). Mentored by an archivist or librarian and a faculty member, students are supported along their research journey. Students apply with a research question in mind and then see where the materials lead them--sometimes right to where the student hoped and other times to new questions and lines of inquiry.

Curated by Archival Scholars Research Award Winners for 2025

The Cathedral of Learning has captivated the Pitt community from its inception and has become a focal point of university and student activity. This exhibit highlights some of the building's milestones.