More details coming soon.

A closeup of a medical flapbook from 1661 showing muscles inside the body by illustration.

[Catoptrum microcosmicum] Kleiner welt spiegel, das ist, abbildung göttlicher schöpffung an dess menschen leib. Johann Remmelin, 1661. FOLIO QM21 .R45 1661. John Martin Rare Book Room, University of Iowa Libraries. [Photo: Katarina Stiller]


Set to open in August 2025, Paper Engineering in Art, Science, and Education will showcase the fascinating world of movable books and paper technologies. Curated by Giselle Simón, Damien Ihrig, and Elizabeth Yale, this interactive exhibition will invite visitors to explore flap books, pop-ups, scrolls, volvelles, and books that use paper to make sounds while learning about their historical and contemporary significance.

Paper has long held a crucial role in communicating information to artists, scientists, and students. Medical flap books from the 16th to the 19th centuries provided an affordable way for physicians to gain hands-on knowledge about the body. Children’s books from the 18th century onwards used movable elements to instruct and entertain, acting as precursors to interactive media. Artist’s books from the last century demonstrate how paper technologies can engage viewers in new and exciting ways. Through these and other rare materials from University of Iowa Libraries collections, this exhibition will celebrate the creativity, design, and ingenuity of paper engineering.

Exhibition Curation

Giselle Simón
University Conservator
Conservation & Collections Care
University of Iowa Libraries

Damien Ihrig
Curator, John Martin Rare Book Room
Hardin Library for the Health Sciences
University of Iowa Libraries

Elizabeth Yale
Assistant Professor, History and UI Center for the Book
University of Iowa