Learn about children’s literature in the Victorian period while getting an up-close look and chance to handle illustrated children’s books from LancasterHistory’s collections. This program and pop-up exhibit will focus on the balance between play and education, how the books reflect Victorian attitudes towards labor and empire, and how technological developments impacted book design during this era.

In Collections Up Close programs, LancasterHistory staff and visiting experts highlight documents, photos, and artifacts from LancasterHistory’s vast collections. In a conversational setting, participants will hear the stories of these objects and what they reveal to us about the history of Lancaster County and its place in American history.

The Invention of Childhood, a Collections Up Close program, takes place on Saturday, November 18 at 2pm at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $10/LancasterHistory Members and $15/Non-Members. Tickets can be purchased or reserved online or by calling (717) 392-4633. Capacity is limited, so advance registration is strongly recommended.