If you follow our blog, you may know that the American Folklife Center has joined other Library of Congress divisions in creating LOC Halloween: Chambers of Mystery, an exhibition of our scariest collection items. Today we had the congressional and press preview of the exhibit, and Library staff member Joon Yi shot a few photos of our room in the exhibit, which is called “Ghost Stories.” Strangely, in one of the photos a ghostly figure appears…he seems to be dressed as a pirate!
He looks kind of familiar to us…can anyone offer an explanation of this weird apparition?
As for the show, LOC Halloween: Chambers of Mystery is a limited engagement, pop-up exhibit open from now until the Day of the Dead (November 1). AFC’s treasures on display include a video loop of ghost stories, a listening station for songs, a table display of literatura de cordel (Brazilian chapbook literature), and some great photos of Halloween traditions from the 1980s to today. (Also, our very own life-size scarecrow!) The rest of Library contributes rare books and manuscripts, recordings, music, films, and an altar for the Day of the Dead. It’s a fascinating and fun display of Library treasures.
You can find a complete list of the items on display linked from the Library’s new Halloween resource guide, and more information about the exhibit itself at the Library’s news site.
The exhibit is on the first floor of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, SE. The showtimes are:
Friday October 27 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Saturday October 28 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Monday October 30 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Tuesday October 31 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Wednesday November 1 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
There are also special Halloween events, including an evening with the creators of the Blair Witch Project on October 27, and an afternoon showing of Hocus Pocus on October 28, timed so you can proceed straight from the exhibit to the film. Why not come visit and see if any more strange things happen?