by Lindsay Grant, Rolph-Bell Archivist, Trinity College
While summer is often thought of as a quieter season on campus, this is rarely the case in the Trinity Archives. The past few months have been busy with researchers making use of our collections, archival processing projects, professional development opportunities, planning for the arrival of the new academic year, and even helping to install artwork in Trinity’s new Lawson Centre. Most significantly, this summer also saw the installation of two major new exhibitions celebrating Trinity in the Archives gallery space, on the lower level of 6 Hoskin Avenue.
The first exhibition grew out of a presentation delivered at this year’s Reunion and was developed in recognition of the upcoming 50th Anniversary of Trinity’s International Relations program. While the program itself dates to the 1970s, Trinity’s engagement with the world has much deeper roots. Drawing on the papers of diplomats such as George Ignatieff, John Holmes, John Hadwen, Blair Seaborn, and Michael Shenstone, the exhibition explores how Trinity graduates, staff, and faculty contributed to shaping Canada’s place in the world during the decades following the Second World War.
The exhibit highlights the rich documentary record preserved in the Trinity Archives, including personal diaries, photographs, speeches, telegrams, correspondence, and contemporary news coverage. Together, these materials offer a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of diplomacy, revealing the human stories, private reflections, and quiet influence that often lay behind major international events.
The second exhibition was created to commemorate Trinity’s 175th anniversary and is especially meaningful because it was co-curated with members of the Trinity community. Organized around the themes of belonging, community, service, academic inquiry, and faith and care, the exhibition explores the traditions, experiences, and values that have shaped life at Trinity across generations.
Working with students, alumni, staff, and other members of the community enabled the discovery of which objects, documents, and stories felt most meaningful to them. The result is a richly varied exhibition that brings together an array of materials, from swords to dance cards, to academic calendars, matriculation registers, and academic gowns. Together, these objects tell stories not only of continuity, but also of change, revealing how each generation has found its own way of engaging with Trinity’s traditions.
Both exhibits will remain on display throughout the 2026-2027 academic year. The Archives gallery space is open to visitors during regular Archives hours, and we invite alumni and members of the Trinity community to stop by, explore the exhibits, and discover some of the stories preserved in the Archives.
