Sept. 27 – Nov. 6

In 1816, Mary Shelley conceived a story about a scientist who creates a creature that can think and feel, but is monstrous to the eye. Spurned by all, the embittered creature turns into a savage killer. Shelley’s story served as a metaphor for apprehensions about scientific advancement that continue to resonate today.

“Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature” is a traveling exhibit, guest curated by historian and educator Susan E. Lederer, PhD (University of Wisconsin-Madison), with a companion website.

From the National Library of Medicine: “On a dark and stormy night in 1816, Mary Shelley began writing a story that posed profound questions about individual and societal responsibility for other people.

“To make her point, the young novelist used the scientific advances of her era and the controversy surrounding them as a metaphor for issues of unchecked power and self-serving ambition, and their effect on the human community.

“Since that time, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus has become one of the Western world’s most enduring myths. The story provides a framework for discussions of medical advances, which challenge our traditional understanding of what it means to be human.”

The National Library of Medicine produced this exhibition and companion website.