Homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic? The Folger is open online.
Shakespeare's Birthday at Home
Share a favorite speech or take a selfie as your favorite Shakespearean character, draw a picture or perform a scene, write a sonnet or bake a cake in honor of the Bard, or enjoy a talk from our virtual events or create your own Macbeth watch party or enjoy the recording of ours with the cast.
Watch, listen to, and read Shakespeare plays
In support of learning and enjoyment, the Folger is sharing resources for watching and listening to Shakespeare's plays, together with our publishing partner Simon & Schuster Audio.
Watch | Full recorded performance of Folger Theatre's 2008 Macbeth, conceived and directed by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and Aaron Posner, with eight special features, streaming on YouTube for free.
Listen | Full-cast audio recordings, produced by Folger Theatre, of seven Shakespeare plays: Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, Richard III, and Romeo and Juliet (available to stream for free through July 1, 2020)
Read | The complete text of Shakespeare's plays and poems, along with textual notes, scene summaries, and commentary
Enjoy our blogs and podcast
Blogs
- Shakespeare & Beyond: a blog about Shakespeare, his plays, and his world
- The Collation: research and scholarship at the Folger
- The Folger Spotlight: a behind-the-scenes look at Folger Theatre productions
- Teaching Shakespeare: a blog for teachers
Podcast
Choose from 141 (and counting) episodes of the Folger's Shakespeare Unlimited podcast, featuring interviews with actors, directors, scholars, and more.
Discover more podcasts and recordings
Listen to Spotify music playlists
Discover fun for families
Shakespeare for Kids: Activities, materials, and games for kids about Shakespeare, his plays, his life, and his times
Color our Collection: Coloring sheets of images from the Folger collection
Find resources and support for teachers
Teaching During COVID-19: Folger Education is hosting a weekly conversation for teachers along with a regularly updated list of free resources for teaching online.
Explore the Folger collection
The Folger Digital Collection: LUNA and Miranda
Shakespeare Documented: See our online exhibition documenting Shakespeare's life in his own time, with primary sources contributed from the Folger, the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford, the British Library, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the National Archives UK, and other institutions.
Get research assistance
Online Resources: These resources are available to aid students and scholars with their research on Shakespeare and the early modern period.
Ask a Librarian: Folger reference librarians are still available to answer many of your questions through an online form or scheduling a virtual reference call.
