What's on
Bonnycastle’s Introduction to astronomy (1786)
John Bonnycastle (1750-1821) was a mathematics teacher at a private academy in Hackney, London, and the author of several treatises and textbooks. He published on arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry; […]
Mrs Barbauld’s Evenings at home (1792-1796)
Evenings at home was published in six volumes from 1792 to 1796. At the time, there was no formal education system for children. There were charity schools for the poor, […]
Joseph de Mendoza y Ríos (1761–1816) and the ‘Longitude Problem’
Successful sea navigation relies on being able to determine latitude (how far north or south you are) and longitude (how far east or west). When the Greenwich Royal Observatory was founded on 22 June 1675, sailors were able to measure latitude at sea by observing the altitude of the sun at midday, but once out of sight of land they had no easy means of determining longitude.
The art of bookbinding by Joseph Zaehnsdorf (1853-1930)
This week's Book in Isolation transports you to the Outer Library of the Institution to delve into the history of the Institution's bindings.
Our online Saturday programme for June and July
We are delighted to bring you our popular adult and family Saturday programme online. Join in with gardening, craft activities, workshops and experiments, all inspired by the Institution's building and collection.
An intricate and arduous undertaking: George Montagu (1753-1815) and his collection of shells
Beautiful, intricate and varied, shells have adorned our clothes, our homes and our objects of art for centuries. From the end of the 17th century, natural scientists began to collect, organise, observe and draw them in earnest. George Montagu’s Testacea Britannica (1803) is one of the most important works of natural history to come out of the Age of Enlightenment – and it has a special significance for Exeter.
DEI Cinema Club June
Enjoy 'virtual cinema club' in the comfort of your own home
The forgotten novels of William Edward Norris (1847-1925)
In his day, W. E. Norris was described as the ‘Gainsborough of English novelists’, an heir to Trollope and a writer of ‘Disraelian intensity’ … so why aren’t we reading his novels today?
Virtual Tour – Reading the walls
Join us on our usual Wednesday tour - reading the history of our building, from the walls, as you can see it today
Take part in our Big Draw Event – Capturing Unusual Creatures
Beth Howell investigates curiosity in the animals and wildlife described and depicted in 19th century books of exploration in the collections of the Devon and Exeter Institution - what animal can you draw?