Exhibitions

Illuminated manuscript fragments

The oldest items in Manuscripts and Archives in Special Collections are a group of illuminated manuscript fragments. Dating from the early 15th century, the fragments are from religious works, including a choir book, psalters and missals, and Books of Hours. View the online exhibition.


'Torrents of amber', the extraordinary work of Robin Hyde

In 2020, the Robin Hyde literary and personal papers held in Special Collections and at the Alexander Turnbull Library were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand Register in recognition of her literary significance. Special Collections marked this event with the exhibition, ‘Torrents of amber’, the extraordinary work of Robin Hyde. View the online version of the exhibition.


Special Collections First World War Centenary 2014-2018Thumbnail of three-volume Roll.

The digitised Auckland University College Roll of Honour forms the centrepiece of the Special Collections First World War centenary website. Additional online content and physical exhibitions will be mounted over the centenary to tell the stories of Collegians during wartime and to explore different aspects of the War and its aftermath.


Source: Costuming notebook from the 1970 Summer Shakespeare production of A midsummer night's dream.Just the time for a play

Sydney Musgrove was professor of English at the University of Auckland from 1947-1979. Featuring a selection of material from his papers; Just the time for a play highlights his involvement in the Auckland amateur theatre scene and the wider arts and literary scene of the period.


Source: Book stamp of Rebecca Rushout. Special Collections bookplatesSpecial Collections bookplates

The rare books in Special Collections often contain extra-textual content such as inscriptions and bookplates that reveal something about who owned them before they reached our shelves. For a glimpse into the former lives and owners of a few of the Library’s rare books, view the Special Collections bookplates exhibition.