What’s On
We run a year-round programme of events and activities, including evening lectures, tours, book sales, workshops, performances, exhibitions, and more, and we welcome new members and visitors of all all ages.
Picture by Jim Wileman - 26/06/2025 The DEI official opening after ‘The Next Chapter’ project
April - September 2026
Scroll down to take a look at everything that’s happening at the Institution over the coming six months, or pop in to pick up our latest What’s On leaflet from the front desk.
You can purchase tickets for all *bookable* events via TicketTailor here. We also have plenty of FREE events that are open to all and for which no advance booking is required, including fascinating book displays, curator talks, and free tours of our beautiful heritage building. These are all listed below, too.
April |
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Join us for the final lecture in our Turning a New Leaf series, and if you’ve recently signed up, come and say hello at our New Members’ Welcome Event! |
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| Day | Date | Times | Event and description | Booking info |
| Wednesday | 1st/8th/15th/
22nd/29th |
1pm – 4pm | Free tours of the Institution Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Tuesday | 7th | Usual opening hours | NEW! Exhibition: ‘The Isca Photographic Collection: Exeter Through the Lens’. Until Saturday 30th May | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Wednesday | 8th | 1pm – 3pm | NEW! Meet the Curator: ‘The Isca Photographic Collection’ Meet Kitty Vega, Isca Photographic Collection Project Officer from the South West Heritage Trust. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Tuesday | 14th | 2.30pm – 4 pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Saturday | 18th | 10.30am – 12 noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club A fun, creative workshop, inspired by the Institution’s collections or themed according to the time of year. For ages 5-8, accompanied by a parent/guardian. | Taster session FREE / book here
(Junior membership £12 p/a thereafter) |
| Tuesday | 21th | 4 – 6pm | New Members’ Welcome Event Meet staff and other members of our community and find out how to make the most of your membership. Includes a tour, library orientation, and tea and cake in the Blue Room. | Email [email protected] to let us know you’re coming |
| Thursday | 23rd | 2:30pm – 4pm | Local History Research Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Thursday | 23rd | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Supper Club An intimate evening of delicious, homemade food in a beautiful setting | Tickets £30 / enquire here |
| Saturday | 25th | 12pm – 2pm | NEW! Pop-up Book Display: ‘Illustrating Shakespeare‘ We are taking part in the South West Shakespeare Festival. Drop in to see beautiful illustrations of Shakespeare’s work, taken from Victorian books and periodicals. The volunteer curator behind the display will be on hand to discuss the books. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Thursday | 30th | 6pm – 8pm | Evening Lecture: ‘A New Leaf’ Series – ‘Friends, Patrons, University Men, and Well-Connected Women: Doing Justice to the Memory of Benjamin Kennicott, 1718-1783’ – Martin Calder Drinks reception from 6pm. Lecture from 6.30pm. | All welcome / tickets £10 / book here |
May |
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Must-see exhibition, Isca Photographic Collection: Exeter Through the Lens, continues until the end of the month! |
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| Day | Date | Times | Event and description | Booking info |
| Wednesday | 6th/13th/20th /27th |
1pm – 4 pm | Free tours of the Institution Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Tuesday | 12th | 2.30pm – 4 pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Thursday | 14th | 2pm – 3pm | Librarian’s Tour | FREE / book here |
| Saturday | 16th | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club A fun, creative workshop, inspired by the Institution’s collections or themed according to the time of year. For ages 5-8, accompanied by a parent/guardian. | Taster session FREE / book here
(Junior membership £12 p/a thereafter) |
| Thursday | 21st | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Supper Club An intimate evening of delicious, homemade food in a beautiful setting | Tickets £30 / enquire here |
| Thursday | 28th | 2:30pm – 4pm | Local History Research Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Saturday | 30th | 11am – 3pm | Second-hand Book Sale Pop in to peruse our fine selection of donated books and pick up your next un-put-downable read! All profits support the Institution. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
June |
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Join us for a host of artistic and literary events during the city-wide June Boom! |
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| Day | Date | Times | Event and description | Booking info |
| Wednesday | 3rd/10th/17th /24th |
1pm – 4 pm | Free tours of the Institution Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Sunday | 7th | 11am – 4pm | Come visit the Institution’s stall at Exeter City of Literature’s Book Market down on the Quay and enjoy an exciting afternoon of bookish activities. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Tuesday | 9th | 2.30pm – 4 pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Friday | 19th | 11am – 4pm | Celandine Books Workshop Make a Keepsake Box | Book here |
| Saturday | 20th | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club A fun, creative workshop, inspired by the Institution’s collections or themed according to the time of year. For ages 5-8, accompanied by a parent/guardian. | Taster session FREE / book here
(Junior membership £12 p/a thereafter) |
| Thursday | 25th | 2.30pm – 4pm | Local History Research Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Thursday | 25th | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Supper Club An intimate evening of delicious, homemade food in a beautiful setting | Tickets £30 / enquire here |
| Tuesday | 30th | Usual opening hours | NEW! Book Display: ‘The Weather Keepers: 158 Years of Observation at the DEI’. Until Saturday 29th August. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
July |
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Schools’ Enrichment Week 14th – 17th July. Join us to discover the delights of our collections in our historic library. Free for local schools; email [email protected] to find out more. |
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| Day | Date | Times | Event and description | Booking info |
| Wednesday | 1st/8th/15th/
22nd/29th |
1pm – 4 pm | Free tours of the Institution Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Wednesday | 1st | 1pm – 4pm | NEW! Meet our Interns We are hosting interns from the University of Exeter’s Pathways to Arts, Culture and Heritage programme. Drop in as part of our regular Wednesday tours to find out about the archival work that they have been doing. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Wednesday | 8th | 1pm – 3pm | NEW! Meet the Curator: ‘The Weather Keepers: 158 Years of Observation at the DEI’ Meet Deborah Ashfield, AHRC-SWWDTP PhD Researcher in Environmental Humanities at the University of Exeter. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Tuesday | 14th | 2.30pm – 4 pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Saturday | 18th | 10.30am – 12 noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club A fun, creative workshop, inspired by the Institution’s collections or themed according to the time of year. For ages 5-8, accompanied by a parent/guardian. | Taster session FREE / book here
(Junior membership £12 p/a thereafter) |
| Thursday | 23rd | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Supper Club An intimate evening of delicious, homemade food in a beautiful setting | Tickets £30 / enquire here |
August |
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Pop in to our lovely cool Outer Library to take a look at our summer Book Display, The Weather Keepers, and enjoy a refreshing lemonade in our tranquil courtyard garden. |
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| Day | Date | Times | Event and description | Booking info |
| Wednesday | 5th/12th/19th /26th |
1pm – 4pm | Free tours of the Institution Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Tuesday | 11th | 2.30pm – 4 pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| Saturday | 15th | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club A fun, creative workshop, inspired by the Institution’s collections or themed according to the time of year. For ages 5-8, accompanied by a parent/guardian. | Taster session FREE / book here
(Junior membership £12 p/a thereafter) |
| Thursday | 20th | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Supper Club An intimate evening of delicious, homemade food in a beautiful setting | Tickets £30 / enquire here |
September |
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It’s Heritage Open Week! Keep an eye on our website for details of how to get involved. |
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| Day | Date | Times | Event and description | Booking info |
| Tuesday | 1st | Usual opening hours | NEW! Book display: ‘Poisonous Books’. Until Saturday 31st October. | All welcome / FREE / drop in |
| Wednesday | 2nd/9th/16th
/23rd/30th |
Free tours of the Institution Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | All welcome / FREE / drop in | |
| Tuesday | 8th | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to find out more |
| 11th – 20th | Heritage Open Week: Everyday Histories | Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates about special events and tours throughout the week | ||
| Saturday | 19th | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club A fun, creative workshop, inspired by the Institution’s collections or themed according to the time of year. For ages 5-8, accompanied by a parent/guardian. | Taster session FREE / book here
(Junior membership £12 p/a thereafter) |
| Thursday | 24th | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Supper Club An intimate evening of delicious, homemade food in a beautiful setting | Tickets £30 / enquire here |