Discover Penn's Materials Library

Fisher Fine Arts Library

220 South 34th Street, Philadelphia  19104

Monday, November 6 at 10:30 am

TTN members:  $12   TTN non-member guests:  $22

What’s a Materials Library?  Have you ever seen Vanta Black, the deepest black pigment in the world?  Would you like to handle the hottest new idea in climate friendly construction...insulation made from seaweed?

Find out about the Materials Library, one of the hidden gems of Penn’s Fisher Fine Arts Library, which is certain to be of interest to anyone with a curiosity about the material world.  A diverse and interdisciplinary collection, the samples in the library range from construction materials like Indiana limestone and recycled plastic roofing shingles; to cutting-edge materials such as conductive paint and graphene aerogels; to materials of historical importance like ultramarine pigments and Tyrian purple, a dye prized by Roman emperors. The library hosts thousands of samples:  from traditional construction materials to emergent and novel items. The aim of the collection is to bring together innovation and creativity in order to advance conceptualization through tactile exploration. 

Join Michael Carroll, Materials and Images Librarian at Penn’s Materials Library, as he shares with us the history of how the collection came to be and a collection overview and who uses it.  Michael will recount some fascinating stories of how the Materials Collection has helped artists, builders, architects, crafts people and even home remodelers make their projects come to life.  Take a look at the collection database and if there is anything you’re interested in seeing, let us know and Michael will be happy to include it on our tour.

Please note that cancellations with refunds are accepted through 10/30/23.  Should you have to cancel by that date, you will be issued a credit added to your TTN account, for future purchases.