"Always, and without a doubt, one of the highlights of the school year!"
- Kirsten Von Topel
George Washington II MS
Alexandria, VA
"This was probably the best language arts/history field trip we've ever done."
- Suzan Sammons
Mother Seton TORCH of Montgomery County, MD
The Folger welcomes visitors from 10am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday. (We're closed on federal holidays.) Exhibitions feature rare books and other items from the Folger collection, including a copy of the First Folio of Shakespeare. An interactive, touchscreen kiosk allows students to page through a virtual copy of the First Folio with the touch of a finger. The Shakespeare Gallery showcases a short, lively film on the Folger and its programs.
School Visits
Docents conduct 90-minute workshops and lead school groups through activities in the Elizabethan Theatre to make Shakespeare come alive. In each school visit, students learn about Shakespeare's life, times, and work from an interactive, hands-on approach.
The school visit program is offered on select mornings throughout the year at 9:00am and 11:00am. A full list of available dates can be obtained by emailing educate@folger.edu.
Group size is limited to 50 participants and the fee is $75. Groups over 50 will be charged an additional "large group" fee of $50.
Group Tours
Group Tours for upper high school students or adults are also a great field trip idea. A standard tour covers our Exhibition Hall, Elizabethan Theatre, and Founders' Room, with an informative discussion about the history of the greatest Shakespeare collection in America. Tours of the current exhibit are available upon request.
Private group tours for groups of 15 or more may be scheduled for a base fee of $100. Group size may not exceed 60 people, and groups over 25 people will be charged additional fees.
Free, public tours are available without reservation on Monday through Friday at 11am and 3pm, and on Saturday at 11am and 1pm.
Bring the Folger to You!
Bring a Folger docent to your organization for an introduction to the Folger collection and to Shakespeare's life and times. This is not an interactive program, and is not recommended for students below the college level. These visits serve the Washington metro region and are scheduled on selected days for $150.
