Traveling Exhibitions

The NLM traveling exhibitions, available free of charge, present inspiring stories about history, society, and medicine. Drawn from NLM, they connect visitors to trusted health information resources.

NLM Traveling Exhibitions help:

  • connect your community to NLM offerings like MedlinePlus and PubMed.
  • publicize your institution through programming and activities.
  • establish community partnerships and share NLM health information resources with partner institutions.
  • foster health literacy in your community.

For questions please contact the NLM Traveling Exhibition Services team NLMTravelingExhibits@nih.gov.

Request form

Request NLM Traveling Exhibitions online during a three-week period when a Call for Request is open. For when a Call opens, view details under “HOW TO REQUEST A TRAVELING EXHBITIONS

More about NNLM

Reach out to the NNLM office in your region for partnership or more information.

NLM Traveling Exhibitions by Title

Learn about a wide range of topics among all exhibition titles from the NLM History of the Medicine Division and available through NNLM’s calls for requests.

NNLM funding

Some regions may provide funding or other support for traveling exhibitions. Learn more about funding from the NNLM.

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The next Call for Requests opens at 2 pm (ET) April 11, 2023, and closes at 2 pm (ET) May 2, 2023. During this period, the online request form is open for requesting NLM Traveling Exhibitions listed below. An example of the request form (docx) is available for planning purposes only. Please join the Making Exhibition Connections listserv for announcements about the Call for Requests and more!

The exhibition titles available for requests during this next open Call period of 4/11/2023 - 5/2/2023 are listed below. Please visit their companion web pages to view the traveling banners and access exhibition specific information and materials.

1. "And there's the humor of it": Shakespeare and the four humors
2. Every Necessary Care and Attention: George Washington and Medicine
3. Graphic Medicine: Ill-Conceived and Well-Drawn!
4. Pictures of Nursing: The Zwerdling Postcard Collection
5. Politics of Yellow Fever in Alexander Hamilton's America
6. Rashes to Research: Scientists and Parents Confront the 1964 Rubella Epidemic
7. Rise, Serve, Lead! America's Women Physicians

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NLM offers high-quality, reliable biomedical and health information through print collections and electronic resources.

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The public program templates which accompany exhibition titles are planning guides for how to develop programs and activities using trusted and reliable NLM resources around NLM exhibitions. Each template includes program objectives, related NLM health information, program outlines, and additional resources. Host venues, as well as others, are welcome to use them as-is or modify them according to community needs and interest.

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Institutions do the following as part of hosting NLM traveling exhibitions:

  • Display the exhibition in a safe, secure environment out of direct sunlight.
  • Make the exhibition available to the public free of charge.
  • Complete and return a Traveling Exhibition Condition Report within one week of receiving the exhibition.
  • Ensure safety and health of your community by following CDC guidance on your local COVID-19 and other public health activities, as part of hosting the exhibition.
  • Arrange and pay for outgoing shipping to the next host venue via a trackable service ($200-$1,000 estimated cost).
  • Complete and submit a Traveling Exhibition Host Venue Report within two weeks of closing.
Exhibition flyers

Basic Information about Banners (6 Banner Version) (PDF)

Basic Information about Banners (12 Banner Version) (PDF)

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Please see PDFs for the itineraries for the following titles. Current as of March 16, 2023.