Exhibitions
Plan Your Visit
Step into an exhibition and see history come alive.
Pequot Library Exhibitions bring daring ideas, rare materials, and unexpected stories into the public eye. Whether exploring a 17th‑century Shakespeare Folio, Connecticut’s abolitionist print culture, or children’s books that shaped American identity, each exhibition draws on the Library’s rich collections and invites community members of all ages to explore, reflect, and connect.
By pairing scholarship with immersive interpretation and cultural programs, the Library underscores its mission to bring literature, art, science and the humanities into everyday life by encouraging curiosity, enriching our community, and celebrating the power of knowledge in a historic place.
Current Exhibition
UNFINISHED REVOLUTION: 250 Years of Marking American Independence
250 years ago, America’s founders declared independence from England and set forth the principles that would shape the nation: that all men are created equal and entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In UNFINISHED REVOLUTION: 250 Years of Marking American Independence, historic speeches, photographs, diaries, and souvenirs from the Centennial and Bicentennial illustrate how America has been celebrated in Southport and beyond. Alongside these materials, the exhibition also highlights powerful responses from those who argued that the promise of equality remained unfulfilled. Publications like the Declaration of Sentiments of the American Anti-Slavery Society and Frederick Douglass’s searing 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”, reveal how the language of the Declaration has been invoked to demand equality, freedom, and justice, for those who, in practice, had been excluded from the founding ideals. As we mark the 250th anniversary of American independence this July, UNFINISHED REVOLUTION invites visitors to reflect on the nation’s founding principles and consider how we might work toward a more perfect union.
Related programs:
Opening Reception on June 10 at 6:00 p.m. | Legendary Tony Award-winning actor James Naughton leads an extraordinary lineup of celebrated performers, Michael Tucker, Jill Eikenberry, and Nathan Anthony Hinton, in a bold and electrifying series of live performances inspired by this exhibition.
The Declaration of Independence and Equality | Live performance with James Naughton & Friends on Sept. 10 at 7:00 p.m. | Join us for a live performance from James Naughton & Friends, followed by a moderated Q&A
Closing Exhibition Celebration | Featuring James Naughton & Friends on Sept. 25 at 7:00 p.m. | Join us for a live performance from James Naughton & Friends, followed by a moderated Q&A and a live band performance. There’s a $50 charge per person for this program only, and monies raised support exhibition programming.
- June 13 at 1:00 pm
- July 4: Tours led by teen docents
- August 8 at 1:00 pm
- September 12 at 1:00 pm
UNFINISHED REVOLUTION is supported by funding through CT Humanities. It remains on view until Sept. 26, 2026.
A look back at the exhibitions that have celebrated discovery, creativity, and community at Pequot Library.
Explore all our past exhibitions!
