The UP Archives launched an exhibition on the Hatfield Campus of moments from UP’s history entitled “A day in the life of the University of Pretoria”, offering the UP community a trip down memory lane into the institution’s past. The exhibition is based on a daily online posting which originated during the lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to restrictions regarding physical contact and movement which meant that physical access to the Archives and to exhibitions was limited, Ms Alida Green of the UP Archives began a project to post a daily excerpt regarding the history of UP on the Archives webpage of the University’s website. Each day a short article is posted detailing an event or aspect of UP’s history relevant to that particular day historically. These articles cover a wide range of aspects of University life and events and also span the many decades of UP’s past. From significant moments in UP’s history, to the opening of new facilities and buildings, from student fashions to important academic and research achievements, the exhibition encompasses both the formal and more anecdotal elements of the University’s past and gives viewers a taste of the many dimensions of the University and its history.

Staff and students on the Hatfield campus can now enjoy a selection of the online exhibition from the Archives webpage which has been put on display physically next to the Humanities Building. The exhibition has been mounted in the unused noticeboards on the south side of the building, giving students and staff an opportunity to pause, browse and find out some details regarding interesting moments in UP’s history. Staff and students are also encouraged through the exhibition to contact the UP Archives to contribute their memories to the institution’s memory bank. Thanks to support from the Office of the Registrar and the Department of Facilities Management, the UP Archives was able to share this exhibition with the UP community on the Hatfield Campus. The online exhibition can also be viewed at https://www.up.ac.za/up-archives/news