Musselman Library Exhibits

Library Main Level

Humans have been gazing upon the stars since ancient times. Musselman Library’s Stargazing exhibit takes you from Mayan astronomers in 3114 BCE, to Gettysburg College’s first observatory and guest registry of 1874, to the present day selection of Special Collections “heavenly” rare books, many formerly in the collection of Laurence Marschall, Professor of Physics, Emeritus. The Stargazing exhibit, located in five display cases on the main level by the apse, will be available to view now through the end of the spring 2020 semester.

The Majestic Theater

In the collection of Ty Cooper papers at Musselman Library are boxes of motion picture pressbooks—promotional materials created by film companies to market their movies. Beginning in 1918, these paper marketing pamphlets were sent across America to newspapers, magazines, and movie theaters as background for publishing reviews and creating advertisements. A selection of pressbook covers from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s—part of the Golden Age of Hollywood—are on display in the lobby of the Majestic Theatre through February 2020. The movie posters represent multiple genres, including musicals, comedies, dramas, westerns, and patriotic war films.

Library Stairwell

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the “Voices from D-Day” exhibit highlights the recollections of those who participated in D-Day and its aftermath as soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics, and other support personnel.

Life of Civilians and Military Personnel in Europe

Photographs by Sgt. Burdette J. Marker, Staff Photographer, 71st Division, U.S. Army

Library Lower Level

This exhibit features a collection of black and white photos taken by Sgt. Burdette Marker, the former father-in-law of Art and Art History Adjunct Instructor Brent Blair. History major Philip Pane, ’17 first encountered the negatives in Blair’s Introduction to Photography class. After graduating, Philip did further research on these negatives and selected some to print and display for this exhibit.

Sgt. Marker served as an official photographer of the 71st United States Infantry Division during World War II. He took these photographs in France, Germany, and Austria during the final months of the war. The 71st was a “rapid response” division serving as part of General Patton’s 3rd Army. The photos displayed show war-related activities, but also convey the daily life of the soldiers.

Library Apse, Main Level

This photography exhibit features a collection of images taken by Stephen Warner, Class of 1968, during the Vietnam War. The photographs and text on display are select reproductions from a collection of photographs, negatives, notebooks, diaries, and letters created by Warner. They were bequeathed to Gettysburg College by Warner, upon his death in Vietnam in 1971.

Special Collections & College Archives

Professor Frank Kramer, Class of 1914, taught a popular Fine Arts elective designed to teach students how to examine jade, ivory, embroidered textiles, lacquer, and porcelain with the eye of a collector. Kramer allowed students to handle and analyze pieces from his extensive personal collection. In 1958 Kramer finished writing a textbook customized for the class. Many of the pieces displayed in this exhibit were discussed in the text and are remembered by students who took the class.