University Libraries

Exhibits

Discover rotating exhibits that happen in library spaces and feature items from our distinctive collections and the Western Michigan University community. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

Student exhibits

Browse creative and research works by Western students. These works represent a variety of artistic approaches and research topics.

Micron pens on paper art honoring Michelangel's legacy of dynamic, lifelike figures featured in Waldo Library's student exhibit..

Fall 2025 student exhibit

Discover the creative and research works of Western students.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Read about our fall 2025 student exhibit

Interested in having your work displayed at Waldo Library? Any two-dimensional visual works created by WMU undergraduate or graduate students—whether for a class, for research, or just for fun—are eligible for display, provided they meet the exhibit criteria.

Review criteria and submit your work

Browse past exhibits

Distinctive collections

Explore items from our distinctive collections including unique and rare materials from our regional history, WMU archives and special collections materials. Student employees from our Zhang Legacy Collections Center often curate these exhibits.

Waldo Library exhibits

Western Michigan University student Malia Garrison working on exhibit case about women in aviation.

Women in Aviation

Curated by student Malia Garrison with items from Special Collections.

—Waldo Library, first floor, in lobby

Western Michigan University student Meena Jacobs working on exhibit case about aviation mechanics at WMU.

Aviation Mechanics at WMU Take Flight

Curated by student Meena Jacobs with items from WMU Archives.

—Waldo Library, first floor, in lobby

Buster Bronco: Horsin' Around exhibit at Waldo Library.

Buster Bronco: Horsin' Around

Curated by student Meena Jacobs with items from WMU Archives.

—Waldo Library, first floor, along main hallway

Ben Smith working on an exhibit case with aural records from WMU Archives.

WMU's Aural Press

Curated by student Ben Smith with items from WMU Archives.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Exhibit case at Waldo Library about southwest Michigan cookbooks.

Cookbooks of Southwest Michigan

Curated by student Graham Alburtus with items from Regional History Collections.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Exhibit case at Waldo Library about corporate cookbooks.

Corporate Cookbooks

Curated by student Meena Jacobs with items from Regional History Collections.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Western Michigan University student Benwin George working on exhibit case about the IBM 1620, WMU's first computer.

The IBM 1620: WMU’s First Computer

Curated by student Benwin George with items from WMU Archives.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Exhibit about quilts at Waldo Library.

Kalamazoo Log Cabin Quilters

Curated by student Leo Gingerich with items from Regional History Collections.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Western Michigan University student Hope Donovan standing next to an exhibit at Waldo Library that they curated with items honoring the legacy of Banjamin C. Wilson.

Honoring the Legacy of Benjamin C. Wilson

Curated by student Hope Donovan with items from WMU Archives.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Western Michigan University student Jacob Walsh standing next to an exhibit case they curated at Waldo Library with items from the Dr. Richard Upjohn Light Collection.

Dr. Richard Upjohn Light Collection

Curated by student Jacob Walsh with items from Regional History Collections.

—Waldo Library, second floor, in rotunda

Zhang Legacy Collections Center exhibits

Items on display at Zhang Legacy Collections Center exhibit featuring materials from the John Kemper collection.

The John Kemper Collection

Curated by John Winchell, archives curator, with items from WMU Archives

—Zhang Legacy Collections Center, lobby

Adventures at Sea: Real and Imagined

Curated by Susan Steuer, distinctive collections librarian, with items from Special Collections.

—Zhang Legacy Collections Center, lobby

Ward C. Morgan photo exhibit at Zhang Legacy Collections Center.

Ward C. Morgan Studio

Curated by Lynn Houghton, regional history curator, with items from Regional History Collections.

—Zhang Legacy Collections Center, lobby

Questions about our exhibits?

Contact us