The Main Library Gallery’s fall 2023 exhibition, Hey Buddy, I’m Bill, is now available to explore online.
Click here to view the accessible version of this interactive content
The tour features 360° photos of the Main Library Gallery, which allow the viewer to move from area to area. The text panels and the items on display are clickable, meaning close-up views of many objects are available along with insights from co-curators Jen Knights and Brad Ferrier.
To read about the specific items on display in the Main Library Gallery for this exhibition, check out the exhibition guide online. To see the virtual version of this exhibit in full screen, click the full screen icon in the lower right corner of the tour preview above, or visit the exhibit here.
More about this exhibit:
Hey Buddy, I’m Bill tells the story of Bill Sackter, the namesake of Wild Bill’s (formerly Wild Bill’s Coffee Shop) in the University of Iowa School of Social Work. From his early life in Minneapolis to his 44-year institutionalization for an intellectual disability to his years of friends and fame in Iowa City, the exhibit shares a glimpse into Bill’s life and legacy. The exhibit also acknowledges some of Iowa’s own history with institutionalization and progress with disability rights, and places Bill’s story in the context of the historic treatment of people with disabilities. The exhibit not only tells how Bill’s life embodied the disability practices and perspectives of his time, but also how the national prominence of his life story helped America make progress toward better understanding and treatment of people with disabilities.
The exhibition features artifacts, documents, and ephemera from Bill’s life.
Thank you to the University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums for partnering with the Main Library Gallery to make this virtual experience available.