×

Eerie Archives – An exhibit of magic, fate, & flesh

By James Manning Oct 21, 2026 | 10:00 AM
An etching with lots of intricate detail and muddy browns depicting the over-the-top proportions of a giants face. This includes a giant burning red nose, fangs biting into bark, and two huge wet crying eyes. This artwork was inspired by the English fairy tale Jack the Giant Killer, written by author J. White and dating back to the year 1711.

This fantastical etching inspired from Jack the Giant Killer by J. White (1711) is just one of many eerie art-pieces already on display. (James Manning, CMRU.ca)

This Halloween season, why not take a visit to the scariest place on campus, the library! This time, however, that spooky feeling is not just coming from ever multiplying deadlines, continued mid-term crunching, or even from someone taking your favourite spot. For this time of year, the true spooks are coming from inside the archives located on the fourth floor of the library.

The Archives and Special Collections (EL4330) is hosting an exhibit of magic, fate, and flesh called Eerie Archives on October 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This has become an annual tradition for the staff members there and serves as an excellent showcase for some of the strangest and scariest historical materials and items Mount Royal University has collected over the years. These items, ranging from shocking ancient medical equipment to beautiful interpretations of folkloric creatures, have been specifically curated into themed tables for maximum learning and scare-factor.

Terrifying tables

Here are just some of the curated collections that will make up the Eerie Archives:

A black and white drawing with no background showing the silhouettes of four tiny, long-nosed and pointy hat wearing male fairies. Each fairy is in profile, floating just above the grassy ground riding flowers and broomsticks, and they each appear to be having lots of fun. This artwork was inspired by the Irish fairy tale Guleesh, written by author Douglas Hyde and dating back to the year 1891.

A particularly whimsical drawing that was inspired by the Irish fairy tale Guleesh (1890) from author Douglas Hyde. (James Manning, CMRU.ca)

  • Witchcraft and Magic table complete with supposed magical tools, witch-trial testimonies, and even a modernized witch-hunting manual
  • Death and the Afterlife table featuring ghost photography, a series of detailed coroner’s reports, and a wide range of death bed confessions
  • Cures and Cruelties table loaded with surprising and sometimes morbid medical techniques and recipes, along with the grisly instruments used at the time
  • Prognostication and Divination table with not only ancient astrology and astronomy textbooks, but also the cryptic tools those authors used to predict the future

If you are a student or professor who needs a little extra spooky spirit, be sure to check out this scary yet educational display, and for even more events, check out the libraries calendar on their website.

Comments

Leave a Reply