In celebration of its new exhibit, "Discover Special Collections," the L. Tom Perry Special Collection Library at Brigham Young University will host an open house on Thursday (June 29) in room 1130 of the Harold B. Lee Library from 4 to 6 p.m.

Admission is free and the public is welcome.

"The exhibition is a culture's collective memory," said James D'Arc, a curator with the Special Collections Library. "It serves as a tangible, uninterrupted reminder of the history of peoples and cultures. It helps keep the past alive."

D'Arc said by preserving the paper and photographic trails of the past, the collection helps current generations understand who they are and where they came from.

"Discover Special Collections" contains items representative of 12 collecting areas. Some of the pieces to be displayed include original letters and diaries penned by Hyrum Smith and James E. Talmage, first-edition publications from the early days of the LDS Church, first-edition books and letters by Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll and Mark Twain and the original manuscript for the musical score of "Gone with the Wind."

In addition to the exhibit, tours of the newly completed facility will be available.

The "Discover Special Collections" exhibit will be on display until Oct. 8.

Founded in 1957 and recently relocated and reopened, the L. Tom Perry Special Collections houses more than 280,000 printed books, pamphlets and maps, 8,000 manuscript collections and 500,000 photographs.