Lost Libraries of the Ancient World (LECTURES - 5TH ANNIVERSARY 2ND DATE)

The Toronto History Walks Explorer Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email torontohistorywalks@gmail.com for more information or for signing up!

A second date has been added as there are 9 on the waitlist for the Saturday October 24 lecture! If you are planning to take in this lecture, get your spots early. See you then!

We have an amazing "Lecture on the Go" series for 2026/2027. New topics and fascinating stories abound! Join me, and uncover the world and keep active, warm and cool during the winter and summer months!

I started this walking classroom when we were under that horrible cloud called Covid. This series was popular and helped people get back into society and life. The first Lecture on the Go was Walking North America and that was in October of 2021. Hard to believe it's been 5 years of lectures. So I wanted to do something special to celebrate 5 years of exploration.

The "Lecture on the Go" Series is open to members who have purchased the YEARLY MEMBERSHIP PASS, it's free for those members. If you wish to attend a lecture and you are not a yearly pass member then the price per lecture is $20.00.

Let's get started.

What if some of humanity's greatest discoveries were made thousands of years ago, and then lost forever?

What if entire histories, scientific breakthroughs, literary masterpieces, and eyewitness accounts of the ancient world once existed, only to disappear into the flames of war, and the collapse of civilizations?

Join me for a fascinating journey into the world's lost libraries, from the legendary Library of Alexandria to the vanished collections of ancient empires whose treasures may be lost forever.

At the heart, stands the Library of Alexandria, the most famous library in history. Founded over two thousand years ago, it sought to gather all the knowledge of the known world. Scholars from across the Mediterranean came to study astronomy, mathematics, geography, medicine, philosophy, and literature. Yet one of history's greatest mysteries remains: what happened to this remarkable institution, and what priceless knowledge disappeared with it?

Was it destroyed in a single catastrophe, or did it slowly fade away over centuries from neglect?

Beyond Alexandria, we will explore a forgotten world of lost libraries and vanished collections stretching from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt to medieval Europe, Baghdad, and China. Discover the remarkable stories of librarians, scholars, explorers, and rulers who dedicated their lives to preserving knowledge.

We will encounter lost books, missing histories, ancient scientific works, and literary treasures that survive today only as fragments. This lecture is an exploration of one of history's most compelling questions: What have we forgotten?

And how libraries shaped civilization and why their loss continues to fascinate us centuries later. Whether you are a lover of history, literature, archaeology, or simply enjoy a good mystery, this special Lecture on the Go will leave you wondering. What secrets of the past may still lie hidden, just waiting to be rediscovered? Fascinating indeed!

Upcoming topics in the 2026 series:

*Philosophy 1: Great Minds of the Western World: Goethe to Kant! - (2027) *Philosophy 2: Great Minds of the Eastern World: Chuang Tzu to Dalai Lama - (2027) Legacy of Triangle: How a New York Factory Scandal changed North America - (September 2027)

So book your plans now!

This event is for all levels and walkers, there are a few steps here and there to navigate, but mostly on one level. This event in a non-walking event.

The lecture begins on the steps of Old City Hall at the northeast corner of Bay Street and Queen Street West, and has a ticket price of $20.00 per person, but free with the yearly membership pass.

Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at: torontohistorywalks@gmail.com