Celebrate the Holidays, See National Film Registry Selections During Live at the Library in December
Visitors are invited to get into the holiday spirit at Live! at the Library in December with the Library's annual holiday celebration and Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 14. Plus, on Dec. 21 and 28, watch two holiday films that will be added to the National Film Registry this year. And enjoy happy hour alongside café concerts on Dec. 7, 14 and 21 in the Library’s Great Hall.
On Thursday evenings, the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building and all exhibitions are open for extended hours from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to enjoy happy hour drinks and snacks available for purchase in the Great Hall overlooking the Capitol and the Library’s beautiful architecture while visiting the Library’s exhibits, collections and programs.
Visitors also are now invited to Experience the Main Reading Room during Live! at the Library from 5 to 7 p.m. Usually reserved for researchers, visitors can now walk inside and see one of Washington’s most beautiful spaces. Please note that due to strong interest and limited capacity, those with timed-entry passes are not guaranteed access.
Free timed-entry passes or an event registration are required to enter the Thomas Jefferson Building. Visit loc.gov/visit to reserve your pass for Live at the Library.
Programming Highlights for December
Dec. 7: Jon Hao and Heru "The Trap" Violinist perform sets during a café concert beginning at 6 p.m. on the Library's Great Hall Mezzanine level. The principal violinist for Bunk Buddha, Jon Hao specializes in playing live violin while performing DJ sets. Heru "The Trap" Violinist has made a name for himself by blending classical music with genres such as hip hop, R&B, go-go and rock. Reserve timed-entry passes.
Dec. 14: Library of Congress Holiday Celebration from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. Celebrate the season with musical performances, festive refreshments, story time with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and view the Library’s Hannukah Menorah and the lighting of one of the city’s most beautiful Christmas trees. Reserve timed-entry passes.
Dec 14: Enjoy a café concert at 6:15 p.m. featuring District Strings — a collective of classically trained musicians — on the Library’s Great Hall Mezzanine level. Reserve timed-entry passes.
Dec 21: Champion fiddler and singer Seán Heely performs for a café concert at 6:15 p.m. on the Library’s Great Hall Mezzanine level. Heely is a U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion and an award-winning Irish fiddler, singer and harpist in the folk and Gaelic traditions of Scotland and Ireland. Reserve timed-entry passes.
Dec. 21: Live! at the Library: "The Nightmare Before Christmas" at 6:30 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Enjoy a showing of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in the Library’s historic Coolidge Auditorium, and see one of the most beautiful Christmas trees in the city. The film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was inducted in the 2023 National Film Registry. Reserve timed-entry passes.
Dec. 28: Live! at the Library: "Home Alone" at 6:30 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Enjoy a showing of the classic holiday movie, “Home Alone” in the Library’s historic Coolidge Auditorium. The film, “Home Alone” was inducted in the 2023 National Film Registry. Reserve timed-entry passes.
Exhibitions On View
The Library’s collections include some of the earliest depictions of Christmas published in the United States. Christmas Through History features items from the Rare Book and Special Collections Division. View the display in the Great Hall beginning Dec. 6.
Fifty years ago, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act granted Washington, DC residents limited self-government for the first time in nearly a century. DC Home Rule at Fifty features items from the Manuscript Division. View the display in the Great Hall beginning Dec. 6.
Explore Library exhibitions during Live at the Library. The Library’s exhibition, “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America,” explores the history of voluntary associations that reveal the aspirations of Americans as “a nation of joiners,” while also acknowledging these groups have sometimes reflected society’s exclusions, discriminations and divisions. The exhibit is on display in the South Gallery of the Thomas Jefferson Building.
“Not an Ostrich: And Other Images from America’s Library” represents a sampling of the more than 15 million photographs held by the Library, ranging from the early days of photography to today. Take a look at the “first selfie,” which is thought to be the world’s oldest known photographic self-portrait, and see important pictures of Harriet Tubman, the Wright brothers and more.
Find the latest event details at loc.gov/live, and subscribe to the Library’s Upcoming Events email list. Future events will be announced on a monthly basis.
Live at the Library is part of a broader effort to reimagine the visitor experience at the Library of Congress that invites visitors to enjoy the Library and its collections in new formats during extended evening hours on Thursday night. The series regularly features special conversations, music, performances, films and workshops that showcase the broad range of holdings at the national library.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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Media Contacts: Leah Knobel, lknobel@loc.gov | Elaina Finkelstein, efinkelstein@loc.gov
PR 23-097
11-16-2023
ISSN 0731-3527