June 1, 2010
Never before seen items from the University Archives and the University Museum Collection will go on display June 8 through Aug. 13 on the first floor of the John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library in an exhibit titled "Treasures From Our Attic."
The items will be displayed in four separate cases in the lobby of Mullen Library. Many of these will be sculptures of a religious nature. Also included will be a CUA land deed signed by abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass, who was also the Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia from 1881 to 1885. In 1885, he signed the land deeds recording the sale transfer of the property on which CUA is located.
The theme for the exhibit is meant to reflect the diverse holdings in the university's collection. Very Rev. David M. O'Connell, C.M., university president, came up with the idea when he was giving a tour of his residence at Nugent Hall to Leslie Knoblauch, records management archivist at CUA, and medieval history doctoral student Paul Wesley Bush. Bush is assisting Knoblauch with the creation of the exhibit.
Over the last few years, CUA has staged two other prominent exhibits: memorabilia related to Pope Benedict XVI's April 2008 visit to CUA as well as an exhibit of drawings, etchings, engravings and woodcut prints by American and European artists that have never before been displayed, including a Rembrandt etching.
"The exhibit allows us an opportunity to display items that are unique to the history and collections of CUA," says Knoblauch. "None of these items have been displayed before. We see this exhibit as a chance to educate the CUA community, and the broader Washington, D.C. area, of the types of varied items that are owned by CUA."
The exhibit is free and open to the public.
MEDIA: For more information, contact Katie Lee or Mary McCarthy in the Office of Public Affairs at 202-319-5600.