Peer into the past through the unique lens of photographic albums in the new exhibition, Eastern Europe and Beyond: Photographic Albums Revealed, on display from September 9, 2025, through May 10, 2026, in the Lou Henry Hoover Gallery at Hoover Tower, Stanford University.
Renowned for its extensive Slavic, East European, and Eurasian archives, the Hoover Institution Library & Archives houses tens of thousands of rare photographs across the collections. This exhibition invites you to discover the vibrant histories, cultures, peoples, and landscapes of Russia, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Baltics, and the Caucasus through the medium of select photographic albums.
Showcasing the storytelling power of photography, the exhibition engages visitors with personal tales from around 1899 to the mid-20th century. Highlights include the imperial, revolutionary, and Soviet eras in Russia; the experiences of Russian émigrés abroad; tumultuous events in the Caucasus and Ukraine during the early 20th century; the Balkan conflicts; the Romanian interwar monarchy; the First Czechoslovak Republic between the world wars; US humanitarian efforts in Poland; and the evolution of the independent Baltic republics and their diasporas.
Join us for this inspiring exploration of a rich photographic legacy and immerse yourself in the captivating stories revealed through these unique albums.
Eastern Europe and Beyond is organized and curated by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Image above: The Mountain Village of Tindi, Dagestan, North Caucasus, 1897, from Vues du Caucase by photographer Moric (Maurice) de Déchy (1851–1917). Maurice de Déchy photographs (2006C4), Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
View the albums digitally through the companion online exhibition.
Curators
- Edward Kasinec, Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; and Research Associate, Harriman Institute, Columbia University
- Marissa Rhee, Exhibition Curation & Design Manager, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
- Kiera Peacock, Exhibition Operations Manager, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
- Elena S. Danielson, Archivist Emerita, Hoover Institution
- Ognjen Kovačević, Metadata Librarian, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
- Bertrand M. Patenaude, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution
- Anatol Shmelev, Robert Conquest Curator for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
- Vladimir von Tsurikov, Project Leader, Russian Diaspora Initiative, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
This exhibition has been made possible through the generous support of the Hoover Institution Board of Overseers and the staff of the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
