Rare fairy tale books on display till July 24 in the Brunnier Art Museum

Eleven books from the library’s rare books collection are on display in the University Museums exhibition Tell Me a Story at the Brunnier Art Museum, located in Carl H. Scheman Continuing Education Building, for the spring 2026 semester.  

The books include illustrated editions of fairy tales that were published across the 19th and 20th centuries in English, French, German, and Italian. They include versions of Cinderella, fairy tale collections from the Brothers Grimm and Andrew Lang, an edition of Sleeping Beauty illustrated by the noted French illustrator Edmund Dulac, and 1940s Italian pop-up versions of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Sleeping Beauty. 

Librarians from two departments in the library collaborated with Brunnier Art Museum curator Adrienne Gennett and exhibition co-curator Dr. Michèle Schaal, ISU professor of French and women’s and gender studies. Amy Bishop, rare books and manuscripts archivist, assisted with the review and selection of books held in Special Collections and University Archives. Head of Preservation Lisa Muccigrosso and Library Conservator Emily Stanley repaired and stabilized the books ahead of loaning them to University Museums. Stanley and Muccigrosso installed the loans for the exhibit, working with Gennett at the Brunnier Art Museum. 

The books are on display in the Tell Me a Story exhibition January 20-July 24, 2026, in Brunnier Art Museum. Take a look!