"Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend," a national traveling exhibition that focuses on the brilliant monarch who ruled England from 1558 until 1603, opens at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Norlin Library on June 25 for six weeks.
Organized by the Newberry Library of Chicago in collaboration with the American Library Association Public Programs Office, the free exhibition shows how Elizabeth I transformed England into one of the most powerful and culturally rich countries in the world.
Norlin Library, with the help of several campus departments and centers, is sponsoring free films, lectures and other public events in connection with the exhibition. The exhibit will be open seven days a week in the Center for British and Irish Studies on the library's fifth floor from noon to 6:30 p.m.
The exhibit will be closed July 3-5.
An opening gala will be held June 25 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Carole Levin, Willa Cather Professor of History the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of "The Heart and Stomach of a King: Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power," will deliver the keynote presentation, "Elizabeth I: Dreams of Danger," at 4:15 p.m. Free refreshments will be served and Elizabethan music will be played from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
CU-Boulder is one of only 12 academic libraries in the country selected to host the exhibit and is one of two locations to feature the exhibit in Colorado, along with the Montrose District Library. The exhibit will appear at 40 public and academic libraries across the nation until March 2006.
The national exhibit consists of 36 six-foot-high panels featuring high-quality color images reproduced from rare books, manuscripts, maps, letters, paintings and artifacts in the Newberry Library collections, and from significant items held by the British Library, the collection of Queen Elizabeth II and distinguished private collections. The panels are accompanied by text explaining the different periods of her life.
At the beginning of Elizabeth's reign in 1558, many questioned whether a woman could rule England. But during nearly 45 years on the throne, Elizabeth won her subjects' allegiance through wise decisions, courage in the face of conflict and court intrigues, and skill in maintaining a strong public image.
The exhibit was curated by Clark Hulse, professor of English and art history and dean of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The exhibit was made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities with additional support from the Vance Family Fund and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
For a complete schedule of events visit or call (303) 492-8887.