No Taxonomy without Representation

The American Philosophical Society Library is one of the nation’s premier institutions for the study of natural history. This exhibition explores the Library’s rich holdings of manuscripts and rare books relating to animals from the fifteenth through the twentieth centuries. The online exhibition runs concurrently with a physical exhibition at the APS Library; references to “cases” on this website correspond to the exhibition cases on display.

“The Search for Animal Knowledge” (Case 1) examines the pursuit of animal knowledge during the era of Jefferson and the early American republic. “Of Myths and Bones” (Case 2) explores earlier European conceptions of animals, when real creatures were depicted alongside mythical beasts and the fantastic mingled with the empirical. “Expanding Animal Knowledge” (Case 3) highlights the nineteenth century, the height of natural history, marked by exploration and discovery. The final section, “Promoting Animal Knowledge” (Case 4), examines the modern era, focusing on animal rights, welfare, and education.

Join us in an exploratory journey through the APS Library stacks in search of “No Taxonomy without Representation.”