Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature

Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature was a traveling exhibition that encouraged audiences to examine the intent of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, and to discuss Shelley's and their own views about personal and societal responsibility as it relates to science and other areas of life.

Frankenstein visited 80 libraries across the country between October 2002 and December 2005. In addition to the exhibition, participating libraries hosted interpretive and educational programs that helped audiences examine Mary Shelley's novel and how it uses scientific experimentation as metaphor to comment on cultural values, especially the importance of exercising responsibility toward individuals and the community in all areas of human activity, including science.

Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature was developed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in collaboration with the ALA Public Programs Office. It was made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Washington, D.C., and the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Md.

The traveling exhibition was based upon a major exhibition produced by the National Library of Medicine in 1997-1998.