Exhibition ‘The eternal student’: A journey through 450 years of studying

What would a university be without its students? In 2025, we will celebrate 450 years of studying with an exhibition showcasing our students from the past centuries. How did they study in the past? And how do they study now? This outdoor exhibition will be on display from 23 April at the Hortus botanicus.

Over the centuries, painters, illustrators and photographers have portrayed how students study in Leiden. Travel with us through time and discover the differences and the many similarities with students today. Peek behind the scenes at our teaching: from lessons in the anatomical theatre to lectures with VR headsets. See how students learn in lectures, study in libraries and observe in the Hortus or the lab. And, for centuries, how they’ve sweated over exams and concluded their studies with beloved rituals.

Visual cohesion

Students do not spend all their time studying. The exhibition also features images of 450 years of student life, houses and protests over the years. ‘The eternal student: Impressions of 450 years of studying at Leiden University’ provides a kaleidoscopic view but does not pretend to be exhaustive. The university’s history is too rich for that and every single one of us would select something different. The curators of this exhibition combine an eye for visual cohesion, familiarity with university collections and a nod to the generations of students who have studied at Leiden University.

Ode

This outdoor exhibition is a tribute to all students, teachers and others who make education possible. What’s your favourite image of 450 years of studying at Leiden University? It could even be a photo from your own student days! Send your suggestion to 450@leidenuniv.nl, and you might see it featured in the Top 450.

Exhibition curated by: editor Linda van Putten, collections specialist Corrie van Maris, university historian Pieter Slaman, editor Dagmar Aarts and visual editors Danique ter Horst and Rob Dorresteijn. Design by: Koen van Engelen and Nina de Vrind. More information will follow on this website.