Reimagining Illumination is a series of workshops designed to interrogate and expand the concept of illumination (i.e., the use of light) in books and manuscripts.

How can we use light to make our books beautiful, interesting, fun, or informative? Through a series of workshops, scheduled over the 2025-2026 academic year, we will investigate this question. Over the course of the year we'll look at books from the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts, and we'll make some of our own. The series will culminate in an open exhibition with manuscripts and books viewed under candlelight, and featuring our creations, too.

On Tuesday, February 24th, we will create our own mini holographic light-up constellation shadow boxes based on artwork from a Netherlandish astronomy book from Penn's collection.

Reimagining Illumination is sponsored by the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies and will be held in the Vitale II Lab for Digital Humanities & Book History (Van Pelt Library 623)