10:00am-4:00pm on Saturday 13 September
St John's College, The Old Library, St John's Street, CB2 1TP
The 17th-century Old Library of St John’s presents an exhibition on stone, rock and metal: the stuff of archaeology, architecture, astronomy and more.
Hymning honeysuckle and roses in his long poem *The Excursion*, William Wordsworth allows his attention to be captured by another component of the scene: ‘And with the flowers are intermingled stones | Sparry and bright, the scatterings of the hills.’ The stones are not alive, but they are no dead and neutral backdrop: they contribute to the life of the image and of the language.
After two public events themed around organic matter – plants first, then animals – St John’s College completes a year-long trilogy with an exhibition on rocks, metals and minerals, whether tiny pebbles or the planet we call home. Archaeology, architecture, astronomy, magnetism, medicine, poetry and more will be represented, in material ranging from medieval manuscripts and rare printed books to modern papers and peculiar artefacts, all in the stunning surroundings of the 17th-century Old Library.
Access to the event is via stairs only.