Welcome to the Folger Shakespeare Library!

Join us in 2016 for The Wonder of Will, celebrating Shakespeare and his extraordinary legacy through special events, exhibitions (including First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare), performances, and more!
 
Located on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, the Folger is the world’s largest Shakespeare collection—the ultimate resource for exploring Shakespeare and his world. We provide access to a huge array of resources, from original sources to modern interpretations.

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201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Building & Exhibitions
Monday–Saturday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: noon – 5:00pm
Extended Hours: Open Fridays until 8:00pm

Reading Room
Monday–Friday: 8:45am – 4:45pm
Saturday: 9:00am – noon, and
1:00pm – 4:30pm

  • October 1 at the Kennedy Center

    Join Folger Consort for the exciting opening performance of its 40th anniversary season, featuring Derek Jacobi.

     

    More Info

  • Now extended through November 6th!

    Reason and passion collide in Jane Austen’s beloved tale of sisterhood and romance. When sudden financial straits force the Dashwood family to move to a distant cottage, sisters Elinor (Maggie McDowell) and Marianne (Erin Weaver) become ensnared in heart-wrenching romances. 

    Tickets & Information

  • Single Tickets & Flexible Packages Now Available

    Our 25th anniversary season features amazing productions of Sense and Sensibility, As You Like It, and Timon of Athens. Join us as we continue to celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare during this very special year. 

    Season Tickets

  • Great Women Writers Coming to the Folger

    Our upcoming Fall readings at the Folger include award-winning women authors, kicking off new seasons for our O.B. Hardison Poetry Series and the PEN/Faulkner Fiction Series. Reception & book-signings follow each reading.

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Upcoming at the Folger

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Will and Jane Exhibition Promo

Exhibitions

Will & Jane

AUGUST 6, 2016 – NOVEMBER 6, 2016

Shakespeare's First Folio. Photo credit Stacy Keck.

Shakespeare Unlimited Podcast

How Shakespeare's First Folio Became a Star

Today, the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s works, printed in 1623, can sell for millions of dollars. But the First Folio wasn’t always valued so highly. How and when did this book become a cultural icon with such a dizzying price tag?

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Education

CrossTalk: DC Reflects on Identity and Difference

Join us for CrossTalk DC, a community engagement initiative that will bring together people of all ages, races, religions, professions, and lives to think about race and religion thoughtfully and deeply, through the lens of literature and history.

Collection

Manuscript collection

The Folger collection includes some 60,000 handwritten documents dating from the 15th to the 21st century, offering unique windows onto life in Shakespeare’s time, later writers' fascination with Shakespeare, and the development of the English theater over the centuries.

Folger Institute

2016–2017 Scholarly Programs

The Folger Institute gathers scholars to work together around specific topics relating to Shakespeare and his time. Program formats vary, with offerings lasting a weekend or a year and participants drawing from faculty or graduate students. Funding for participants is often available to support travel and lodging.