Or Not to Be: Representations of Death in Special Collections is on view from Monday, September 8, 2025, to Saturday, February 28, 2026, on the Third Floor of Parkway Central Library in the Dietrich Gallery.

"Recognizing death is inescapable can be daunting, but it can also motivate us to live our best lives and make them meaningful."

The Free Library's newest exhibition from the Special Collections Division, Or Not to Be, is inspired by Shakespeare’s famed “To be, or not to be” soliloquy in Hamlet. The exhibition will explore death from diverse cultural perspectives. 

This exhibition will provide a large lens focused on the various ways in which death has inspired the living to document and deal with death: "The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns." (Hamlet)

Due to the sensitive nature of depictions of death, Or Not to Be will include resources and support for grieving, suicide prevention, and estate planning.

Enjoy specially curated items from the Free Library's Rare Book Department, Print and Picture Collection, Map Collection, Children's Literature Research Collection, Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music, and Sheet Music Collection that intertwine to explore fundamental questions such as: Why are we here? What does it all mean? What happens after death? 

The exhibition is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. Admission is free.

Events

Check out the Library's Events page for exhibition-related programs and tours.

Resources

Explore related resources and review the materials featured in Or Not to Be.

Learn more about the Free Library's Special Collections Division.

Or Not to Be: Representations of Death in Special Collections and its related programming is made possible by the work of staff members from the Free Library of Philadelphia across many divisions and departments, particularly Special Collections, the Graphic Design Studio, and Collection Care. Sincere thanks to the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired for providing accessibility features.