What's on
There’s something for everyone. From theater and music, to poetry and exhibitions, experience the power of the arts with us.
Upcoming events
Join us for in-person and virtual events: theater, poetry, music, and more.
Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night
Viola washes up on the shore after losing her twin brother in a shipwreck. In disguise as her twin brother, she lands in the world of Duke Orsino.
Tue, May 13 – Sun, Jun 22, 2025
How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition
How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition
Social climbing was a competitive sport in Tudor England, requiring a complex range of skills, strategies, and techniques. This exhibition explores what it takes to become an early modern mover and shaker.
Fri, Feb 21 – Sun, Aug 10, 2025
DC, I Love You: Ready or Not
DC, I Love You: Ready or Not
Join us at the Folger for an immersive experience that centers real love stories from the community.
Jun 14–15 & Jun 21–22, 2025
DIY at the Folger: The Tudor Ruff
DIY at the Folger: The Tudor Ruff
Create and model the fashionable accessory that is the ruff! Join us for this free activity inspired by our temporary exhibition, “How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition."
Wed, Jun 18, 2025, 11:30am
Virtual Folger Salon with Charmaine Cordero, Esteban Crespo, and Toby Yuen-Gen Liang
Virtual Folger Salon with Charmaine Cordero, Esteban Crespo, and Toby Yuen-Gen Liang
Learn about research happening at the Folger in real time! Each month, Folger Institute scholar and artist fellows will share their most exciting finds and thought-provoking challenges, followed by casual open conversation.
Fri, Jun 27, 2025, at 12pm ET
On demand: The 2025 Eudora Welty Lecture with Amor Towles
On demand: The 2025 Eudora Welty Lecture with Amor Towles
The Folger and the Eudora Welty Foundation welcome Amor Towles to deliver the 2025 Welty Lecture, inspired by the writing and life of famed author Eudora Welty.
Available through Mon, Jun 30, 2025
Cocktails and Conversation with John Douglas Thompson and Daniela Varon
Cocktails and Conversation with John Douglas Thompson and Daniela Varon
Leading American Shakespearean actor John Douglas Thompson and theater director and Shakespearean acting specialist Daniela Varon will speak on the solo performance piece they are co-creating.
Fri, Jul 11, 2025, 7:30pm
Cocktails and Conversation with Michael W. Twitty
Cocktails and Conversation with Michael W. Twitty
Join us for our next evening of "Cocktails and Conversation," with writer, culinary historian, and educator Michael W. Twitty! Arrive early for food and drink purchases from our café, Quill & Crumb.
Sat, Jul 26, 2025, 7pm
Folger Theatre subscriptions
Look ahead to next season
Folger Theatre’s 2025-2026 season includes three exceptional plays telling stories of struggle and power, love and romance, and personal journeys. Subscribe now to lock in great seats at a low price and enjoy subscriber benefits.
A walking rom-com adventure
In this immersive experience, you’ll encounter a series of surprising, poignant, and playful scenes. Each moment unfolds in a unique spot around the Folger—turning hidden nooks and historic spaces into stages for love in all its messy glory.
DC, I Love You: Ready or Not
DC, I Love You: Ready or Not
Join us at the Folger for an immersive experience that centers real love stories from the community.
Jun 14–15 & Jun 21–22, 2025
Exhibition halls
Exhibitions
Explore our world-class collection and enjoy interactive experiences created for visitors of all ages and stages.
- Our Shakespeare Exhibition Hall is devoted to the works of William Shakespeare then and there, here and now — including for the first time a display of all 82 copies of the Folger’s First Folios; and
- In our Stuart and Mimi Rose Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall, you’ll discover exhibits of significant collection items that inspire the Folger’s work, deep dives into our vault, and special exhibitions.
Current exhibitions
Shakespeare Exhibition
Our Shakespeare Exhibition
See the Folger First Folios, learn more about Shakespeare and his plays, and explore the complexities of his cultural legacy.
Ongoing
Out of the Vault: Into the Heart of the Folger
Out of the Vault
Encounter remarkable books and manuscripts that connect with the multifaceted work of the Folger in this ongoing exhibition.
Ongoing
How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition
How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition
Social climbing was a competitive sport in Tudor England, requiring a complex range of skills, strategies, and techniques. This exhibition explores what it takes to become an early modern mover and shaker.
Fri, Feb 21 – Sun, Aug 10, 2025
Family Programs
DIY at the Folger: The Tudor Ruff
DIY at the Folger: The Tudor Ruff
Create and model the fashionable accessory that is the ruff! Join us for this free activity inspired by our temporary exhibition, “How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition."
Wed, Jun 18, 2025, 11:30am
Public Humanities
Our Public Humanities program at the Folger brings together researchers and anyone with an interest in the early modern world to explore the cultures and legacies of that time. Learn about research happening at the Folger in real time, and enjoy cocktails inspired by the Folger’s rich collection of handwritten recipe books from early modern Britain—the largest in the world.
Virtual Folger Salon with Charmaine Cordero, Esteban Crespo, and Toby Yuen-Gen Liang
Virtual Folger Salon with Charmaine Cordero, Esteban Crespo, and Toby Yuen-Gen Liang
Learn about research happening at the Folger in real time! Each month, Folger Institute scholar and artist fellows will share their most exciting finds and thought-provoking challenges, followed by casual open conversation.
Fri, Jun 27, 2025, at 12pm ET
Cocktails and Conversation with John Douglas Thompson and Daniela Varon
Cocktails and Conversation with John Douglas Thompson and Daniela Varon
Leading American Shakespearean actor John Douglas Thompson and theater director and Shakespearean acting specialist Daniela Varon will speak on the solo performance piece they are co-creating.
Fri, Jul 11, 2025, 7:30pm
Cocktails and Conversation with Michael W. Twitty
Cocktails and Conversation with Michael W. Twitty
Join us for our next evening of "Cocktails and Conversation," with writer, culinary historian, and educator Michael W. Twitty! Arrive early for food and drink purchases from our café, Quill & Crumb.
Sat, Jul 26, 2025, 7pm
Ticket information
Contact the Folger Box Office at (202) 544-7077 or folgerboxoffice@folger.edu.
