The goal of the library exhibition program is to provide a space for student work and campus research to be shared with the community and that our exhibition program provides an opportunity to present stories, voices, and work that otherwise may not be able to be shared.
  • Museum display case containing a historical document with an eagle emblem and several stone slabs.
  • Museum display case of a colorful map of the United States, an open book, and historical documents.
  • Museum display of a red pamphlet titled "The Case of Joe Hill" alongside other historical documents.
  • A sign in a museum display case reads "NO KINGS SAVE DEMOCRACY" in bold orange and black letters.
  • Museum display case of a portrait photograph, handwritten letters, and small historical booklets.
  • Museum display of two large open books with illustrations and text, a smaller closed book, and a document.
  • Museum display of vertical manuscripts, patterned fabric, and textured bark-like material with labels.

America in the Archive: The Many Voices of Democracy

Level 4

The United States of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. The birth of the nation was rooted in a long history of place, people, and beliefs that extended beyond the continental United States and continues to expand in our present. These many histories, often streamlined as linear narratives, find their source in the myriad material artifacts contained in an archive. Far from a straightforward history, archives describe weblike, simultaneous, and intertwined stories while at the same time, pointing to gaps in the record.
Discover the layered history of democracy in America through the voices and stories of the people who were instrumental in helping to create democracy and essential to preserving it in our present and future. This exhibition will explore American history with a particular focus on Utah and the Intermountain West.

The exhibition is FREE and open to the public.