To mark the 300th anniversary of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, researchers from the University of Liverpool have collaborated on a new online exhibition, Gulliver's Travels: Before and Beyond.
Hosted by the University library's Digital Heritage Lab, the exhibition not only showcases University collections, but also features exclusive recordings of extracts from Swift's satirical masterpiece read by writers, performers and scholars including Ian Hislop and Paterson Joseph.
Published 28th October 1726, the tale of the hapless adventurer, Lemuel Gulliver, and his travels among the lands of giants, floating islands, and talking horses have entertained audiences for centuries. The exhibition celebrates the book's enduring legacy, while exploring the texts that influenced Swift and the historical and political culture of his own day.
The exhibition interleaves panels that focus on objects from Special Collections and Archives that contextualise Gulliver's Travels with passages from key moments in the book performed by notable fans. These include readings from BBC broadcaster & Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, the actor & author Paterson Joseph (The Secret Diaries of Ignatius Sancho), and international bestselling novelists Evie Woods (The Lost Bookshop) and Christopher Paolini (Eragon, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars), as well as representatives from the Ehrenpreis Centre for Swift Studies, (University of Münster) and Swift's own local library in Dublin (Marsh's Library). The range of readers shows just how influential Gulliver's Travels is to this day, while the readings themselves bring Gulliver's world to life for modern audiences.
Professor Greg Lynall, King Alfred Chair in English Literature, and Head of English, said: "Collaborating with Special Collections & Archives and the Digital Heritage Lab on this exhibition has been a wonderful opportunity to conduct and disseminate new research on Gulliver's Travels and its deep legacy, through multiple formats (text, image, audio) and showcasing unique items we hold at the University.
"I'm so grateful to Libraries, Galleries and Museums in supporting this project, which has brought Swift's work to life in a new way. Our illustrious readers generously gave up their time to record some of the book's key passages, and we were absolutely thrilled with the results. The amazing response so far to the exhibition confirms that the brilliance of Gulliver's Travels has endured and is sure to be celebrated in another 300 years."
The tercentenary of Gulliver's Travels also inspired the 'Travels' theme of Liverpool Literary Festival's 2026 short story competition for staff and students, supported by Scrivener and Waterstones. The exhibition and 'Travels' themed competition are part of wider international celebrations of Swift's iconic tale.
Dr Corrina Readioff, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Liverpool, said: "More than just an extraordinary tale of one man's remarkable adventures, Gulliver's Travels is an exploration of the human condition that is as wise and relevant today as it was 300 years ago."
Click here to visit the online exhibition: Gulliver's Travels: Before and Beyond
