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The Cornelius Ryan Room on the fifth floor of Alden Library has a new look. Established with the University’s acquisition of the Cornelius Ryan Collection of World War II Papers in 1981, the room previously focused on documents from its namesake, a prominent World War II reporter and author. Now, the room provides a much deeper look at the war through numerous first-hand accounts and a variety of artifacts.

Over the last year, Alex Hines, class of 2024, and Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections manuscripts archivist, Greta Suiter, co-curated the room’s new exhibit, adding a variety of pieces to bring visitors “on a journey into the minds of those individuals who lived through, survived, fought in and died” during WWII, Hines wrote in a on the effort. “Walking through the exhibition, one will be drawn into the intimate thoughts and experiences of those who were directly involved in the events.”

Visitors will be able to see a map on which Ryan detailed the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as well as the desk where he sat while writing the first major account of the invasion. That account, published in 1959 as “The Longest Day,” was hailed as a masterpiece of military history due to its incredible detail and commitment to presenting the perspective of all the parties involved. 

A “Local Connections” display includes the story of Red Cross worker Margaret Maslin of Athens and other area individuals who played a role in the war. 

Also on display: a small piece of tile said to be from Adolph Hitler’s bunker bathroom, sent to Ryan by fellow WWII correspondent Walter Cronkite. Apocryphal? Perhaps. Worth a visit? Most certainly.

The new Ryan Room exhibit is open for viewing weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., or by appointment, during the academic year.