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
Our October 2025 - March 2026 programme
Scroll down to take a look at everything that’s happening at the DEI over the coming six months.
You can view and purchase tickets for all *bookable* events via TicketTailor here.
We have plenty of FREE events that are open to all and for which no advance booking is required. These are listed below, too, and if you keep scrolling right down to the bottom of the page you can find out a bit more about some of them, including our fascinating rolling programme of Book Displays.
October |
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Day |
Date |
Times |
Event |
Additional Info |
| Wednesday | 1 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 2 | 11.30am – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 2 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Members’ Supper Club – Back to the 70s | Tickets £30 / book here |
| Tuesday | 7 | Usual opening hours | NEW: Book display – Travelling through the library: translated literature in the DEI. On display until Saturday 8th November. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 8 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Tuesday | 14 | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Wednesday | 15 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 16 | 11.30am – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 16 | 4pm – 6pm | NEW: New Members’ Welcome Event – Come along to find out more about the Institution and meet other members. | Let us know you’re coming here |
| Saturday | 18 | 10.30am – 12 noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club | Book here for a FREE taster session, then Junior Membership is £12 per year |
| Wednesday | 22 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 23 | 5.00pm – 6.30pm | Annual General Meeting | Members book here |
| Friday | 24 | 10am – 4pm | Bookbinding with Celandine Books | Find out more and book here |
| Friday | 24 | 2pm – 4pm | Dissertation Inspiration | FREE / students / drop in |
| Wednesday | 29 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 30 | 6pm – 8pm | NEW: Evening Lecture – The evolution of T. S. Eliot’s ‘Four Quartets’ – Christopher Southgate | Tickets £10 / open to all / book here |
| Thursday | 30 | 6pm- 9pm | NEW: Members’ Supper Club – Murder Mystery | Tickets £30 / book here |
November |
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| Enjoy the cosiness of the libraries during the winter months and our new book display, ‘Threads through time’. | ||||
Day |
Date |
Times |
Event |
Additional Info |
| Wednesday | 5 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 6 | 11.30am – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Tuesday | 11 | Usual opening hours | NEW: Book display – Threads through time. On display until Saturday 22 November. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Tuesday | 11 | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Wednesday | 12 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Saturday | 15 | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club | Book here for a FREE taster session, then Junior Membership is £12 per year |
| Wednesday | 19 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 20 | 11.30am – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 20 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Members’ Supper Club – The Godfather | Tickets £30 / book here |
| Tuesday | 25 | Usual opening hours | NEW: Book display – Illustrating a Victorian Christmas. On display until Thursday 18th December. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 26 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 27 | 6pm – 8pm | NEW: Evening Lecture – The reinterpretation of the Redvers Buller statue in Exeter – Nicola Thomas | Tickets £10 / open to all / book here |
December |
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| Visit us at the most magical time of the year as the libraries sparkle with seasonal decor. Christmas cards, literary gifts and gift memberships available. | ||||
Day |
Date |
Event |
Additional Info |
|
| Wednesday | 3 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 4 | 11.30am – 2pm | Deck the Halls – Help us dress the tree and create seasonal evergreen arrangements for the libraries, with mulled wine and mince pies afterwards. | FREE / members / drop in /let us know you’re coming here |
| Saturday | 6 | 11am – 3pm | Second-hand book sale: festive special | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Tuesday | 9 | 11am | Librarian’s Tour: festive special | FREE / open to all / book here |
| Tuesday | 9 | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Wednesday | 10 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 10 | 5.15pm & 7.15 pm | NEW: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS -Join a tour by candlelight in the historic Devon and Exeter Institution library. Meet characters from past centuries who lived and worked around the Cathedral Close and have stories to tell. Tours last one hour, and refreshments are included. Ages 12+ | Tickets £15 / open to all / book here |
| Thursday | 11 | 6pm – 9pm | Members’ Christmas Party – Join us for a evening of music and merriment in the stunning Blue Room. | Tickets £20 / book here |
| Saturday | 13 | 5.15pm & 7.15 pm | NEW: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS -Join a tour by candlelight in the historic Devon and Exeter Institution library. Meet characters from past centuries who lived and worked around the Cathedral Close and have stories to tell. Tours last one hour, and refreshments are included. Ages 12+ | Tickets £15 / open to all / book here |
| Wednesday | 17 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 17 | 5.15pm & 7.15 pm | NEW: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS -Join a tour by candlelight in the historic Devon and Exeter Institution library. Meet characters from past centuries who lived and worked around the Cathedral Close and have stories to tell. Tours last one hour, and refreshments are included. Ages 12+ | Tickets £15 / open to all / book here |
| Thursday | 18 | 5pm | Christmas Closure until… | |
January |
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| Step into the New Year with our Rescue a Book display and new Local History Research Group. | ||||
Day |
Date |
Event |
Additional Info |
|
| Tuesday | 6 | Usual opening hours | New Year opening | |
| Tuesday | 6 | Usual opening hours | NEW: Book display – Rescue a Book. On display until Friday 27th February. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 7 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Tuesday | 13 | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Wednesday | 14 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 15 | 1pm – 4pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Saturday | 17 | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club | Book here for a FREE taster session, then Junior Membership is £12 per year |
| Wednesday | 21 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 22 | 2:30 – 4pm | NEW: Local History Research Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 22 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Members’ Supper Club | Tickets £30 / book here |
| Wednesday | 28 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 29 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Evening Lecture – Have we been here before? New technology, changes in daily life, and lessons for today from the industrial revolution – Nick Collins | Tickets £10 / open to all / book here |
February |
||||
Day |
Date |
Event |
Additional Info |
|
| Wednesday | 4 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 5 | 11.30pm – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Tuesday | 10 | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Wednesday | 11 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 11 | 6pm – 8.30pm | Silent Book Club – DEI x Exeter City of Literature | Find out more here |
| Wednesday | 18 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 19th | 11.30pm – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 19 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Members’ Supper Club | Tickets £30 / book here |
| Saturday | 21 | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club | Book here for a FREE taster session, then Junior Membership is £12 per year |
| Wednesday | 25 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 26 | 2:30pm – 4pm | NEW: Local History Research Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 26 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Evening Lecture – Turning “a New Leaf” in Medicine: Stem-Cell Therapies for Diabetes and Brain Health – Craig Beall | Tickets £10 / open to all / book here |
| Saturday | 28 | 11am – 3pm | Second-hand book sale | FREE / open to all / drop in |
March |
||||
| It’s Women’s History Month! Discover the stories of inspiring Institution women of the past in our new display and special tour. | ||||
Day |
Date |
Event |
Additional Info |
|
| Tuesday | 3 | Usual opening hours | NEW: Book display – A woman’s nature. On display until Saturday 4th April. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 4 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 5 | 11.30pm – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Tuesday | 10 | 2.30pm – 4pm | Members’ Book Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Wednesday | 11 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Wednesday | 18 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 19 | 11.30pm – 2pm | Green Shoots Gardening Group | FREE / volunteers / drop in / email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 19 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Members’ Supper Club | Tickets £30 / book here |
| Friday | 20 | 3pm | Librarian’s Tour: Women’s History Month special, with the Exeter Heritage Partnership | FREE / open to all / book here |
| Saturday | 21 | 10.30am – 12noon | Bookworms Junior Members’ Club | Book here for a FREE taster session, then Junior Membership is £12 per year |
| Wednesday | 25 | 1pm – 4pm | Tours of the Institution – Find out about our beautifully restored heritage building and collections. | FREE / open to all / drop in |
| Thursday | 26 | 2.30pm – 4pm | NEW: Local History Research Group | Email [email protected] to join |
| Thursday | 26 | 6pm – 9pm | NEW: Evening Lecture – Reframing the ‘fairy land’: The ideas of the Dartington ‘experiment’ 100 years on and the development of the Elmhirst Heritage Centre – Beth Howell | Tickets £10 / open to all / book here |