visitors in the reading room looking at book displays

It’s National Library Week!

Celebrate spring in the library with exhibits, activities, and experiences that explore the role herbs, plants, and flowers have played in the history of science and medicine.

Join our curators and librarians for a fun after-hours event in the Othmer Library’s reading room where you’ll have the opportunity to

  • see unexpected treasures not usually on display
  • get a temporary tattoo
  • make a craft to take home
  • enjoy a taste of spring with a special botanical-themed cake and other light refreshments
  • support the library by adopting collection items
  • and much more!

Admission is free, and registration is required.

Featured image: Cupid Inspiring Plants with Love, hand-colored plate from Robert John Thornton’s A New Illustration of the Sexual System of Linnaeus, 1799.

More events

Egyptian gallery at the Penn Museum
April 13, 2026
Science on Tap

Transforming the Dead: The Art, Ritual, and Science of Egyptian Embalming

Egyptologist Jen Wegner explores how ancient embalmers worked to transform the dead for life after death.

woman crouching to feel lower part of Bakelizer
April 14, 2026
Museum Programs & Activities

From Nature to Nylons: A Touch-Based History of Textiles

This private learning experience combines a personally guided exploration of select gallery exhibits and a hands-on study of objects.

illustration of the ocean as a cube
April 18, 2026
For Families

Stories of Science: April Showers

Join us in our museum EVERY SATURDAY for a family-friendly program that highlights strange and surprising stories from the history of science!

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