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Plan your visit

Hours, admission, directions, and more information for planning your visit

a ramp leading down through green gardens and past the Puck fountain to the Folger building west entrance, on a sunny day — Photo by Lloyd Wolf

Upcoming closures

As we prepare for the Folger Gala on April 26, please keep in mind these scheduled building closures:

Thursday, April 24: The Folger will close early to the public, at 6pm.
Friday, April 25: The Folger building will be partially closed. Public access will be limited to the Adams Pavilion only, which contains the exhibition galleries and the Folger Shop. The Folger will close early to the public, at 6pm.
Saturday, April 26: The Folger will be closed to the public.

HOURS

Galleries and Great Hall

Exhibitions, café, and gift shop

Sundays: 11am – 6pm*
Mondays: Closed
Tuesday and Wednesday: 11am – 6pm*
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 11am – 9pm

*Extended evening hours on performance days.

Reading Room

Public visiting hours

Quill & Crumb: Now open!

About the café
Please note that our café closes a half hour before the rest of the building. However, when there is an evening performance, Quill & Crumb will be open through intermission.

Theater

Box Office hours, seat map, FAQ, and more

ADMISSION

It is free to visit the Folger, and we welcome walk-in visitors as building capacity allows.

However, we recommend that you reserve a pay-what-you-will timed-entry pass, with a suggested donation starting at $15.

Reserving timed-entry passes

Passes are now available to reserve online.

Book now

Or, browse our calendar for another day you’d like to visit. When you find the date you want, click “Book Now” to reserve your pass. Calendar

Frequently asked questions

The Folger is utilizing timed-entry passes to ensure the best possible experience in our new exhibition halls. While walk-in visitors are always welcome, only timed-entry pass holders are guaranteed entry into the exhibition halls at the time of their choosing.

Timed-entry pass holders are also offered expedited entry into the building on days when the Folger is experiencing a high volume of visitors. Timed-entry pass holders always skip the line!

Donations support the work the Folger does across the organization, from displaying First Folios and rare books in our exhibition halls to creating family activities and hands-on workshops to conserving all the objects in our collection. Your donation enables us to create special experiences for all our audiences and make the Folger accessible for future visitors.

New public entrances

Both our east and west entrances are open to the public. Follow the sloping walkways down through the gardens to enter the new Adams Pavilion.

East entrance

located at the corner of East Capitol Street and 3rd Street SE

West entrance

located at the corner of East Capitol Street and 2nd Street SE

Find us on Capitol Hill

The Folger Shakespeare Library is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC. Our building is one block away from the US Capitol, next to the Library of Congress (Thomas Jefferson and John Adams buildings), and diagonally adjacent to the Supreme Court.

Night view of the Folger Shakespeare Library with the U.S. Capitol building in the background

Getting here

Address

201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Both the west and east entrances are open, but if you’re attending an event in our theater, please use the east entrance at the corner of East Capitol Street and 3rd Street, SE.

Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines (4 blocks)

Take Metro’s Orange, Blue, or Silver Line to the Capitol South stop. Exit the Metro and walk up the hill on First Street SE, crossing C Street, SE and Independence Avenue. Take a right on East Capitol Street and walk two blocks. The Folger is on the right, and the entrance to the theater is at the southwest corner of East Capitol Street and 3rd Street.

Red Line (8 blocks)

Take Metro’s Red Line to the Union Station stop. From Union Station, walk south on First Street NE, toward the US Capitol for about five blocks. Turn left on East Capitol Street. Walk two blocks on East Capitol Street and then cross to the opposite sidewalk. The entrance to the theater is at the southwest corner of East Capitol Street and 3rd Street.

For more on the DC metro system, get maps and route planning assistance on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) website.

The Folger does not have a visitor parking lot, and only limited street parking is available in the surrounding area. We recommend taking public transportation when attending events.

Street parking

The parking meters closest to the Folger have a 2-hour limit and are enforced until 10 pm Monday through Saturday. Limited unmetered street parking is available on residential streets near the Folger. Please read the parking signs carefully if parking in an unmetered area. Allow ample time to find a parking space.

Paid parking nearby

On weekdays, paid parking may be available at the National Capital Bank on Pennsylvania Avenue, near 3rd Street. Paid parking is also available at Union Station, a short taxi ride from the Folger.

Accessible parking

While there is no designated accessible parking at the Folger, there are accessible red-metered spaces on East Capitol St between 2nd and 3rd Streets SE. The Folger does not manage these spots and cannot guarantee their availability.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a question about timed-entry passes? See our dedicated FAQ in the Admission section of this page.

Inside the Folger

Our new café, Quill & Crumb, is located in the Great Hall. Enjoy lunch, baked goods, and snacks alongside coffee and tea service during the day, and light bites and drinks in the evening. Water bottles can be filled at stations throughout the building.

On Folger grounds

We are picnic friendly! Outside food and drink is welcome in the gardens, on the lawns, and on the plinth on East Capital Street. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited in these areas by the DC government.

Photographs in the exhibition galleries and Reading Room are allowed without flash.

Photography and video are strictly prohibited during performances in the theater.

Professional photography sessions are not permitted inside the Folger. This includes, but is not limited to, engagement, wedding, and headshot photo sessions. These photos are welcome outside of the building on the grounds of the Folger.

Visitors to the Folger before the renovation may remember entering the building through doors on the front of the building. These are no longer used as public entrances. Instead, use the new entrances on the east and west sides of the building. Follow the paths that lead through the gardens, down the sloping walkways, and into the newly constructed wing below street level. After you enter the lobbies, stairs or an elevator will then take you up to the theater lobby or the Great Hall.

Yes, our complimentary coat checks are available in the east lobby and the west lobby. Visitors are permitted to wear backpacks in the building, but we may ask that larger items to left at the coat check. We want you to be comfortable while in our building, and we’re happy to hold onto your belongings while you are with us.

Contact us

Not finding the answer you need? Contact our Visitor Experience team at folgerboxoffice@folger.edu or 202-544-7077. Phone lines are open Monday through Friday, 12pm – 5pm, with extended hours on performance days.

Accessibility

Accessibility

Things to do

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Things to do

Here’s a taste of what you can do when visiting the Folger: explore our exhibitions, enjoy our gardens, encounter new art and poetry, and more.

Exhibitions

Alan Karchmer / Folger Shakespeare Library

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Exhibitions

Get up close with the incredible books, manuscripts, art, and objects that make up the world’s largest Shakespeare collection.

Folger Café: Quill & Crumb

plates with cheese, dips, bread, crackers, and charcuterie, along with coffee and another drink

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Folger Café: Quill & Crumb

Quill & Crumb is the new Folger café, located in the Great Hall. Enjoy lunch, baked goods, and snacks alongside coffee and tea service. The bar offers beer, wine, local cider, and assorted seasonal cocktails.

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Plan your visit

Upcoming closures

HOURS

Galleries and Great Hall

Reading Room

Quill & Crumb: Now open!

Theater

ADMISSION

Reserving timed-entry passes

Frequently asked questions

New public entrances

East entrance

West entrance

Find us on Capitol Hill

Getting here

Address

Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines (4 blocks)

Red Line (8 blocks)

Metrobus

DC Circulator

Bike rack

Nearby Capital Bikeshare stations

Street parking

Paid parking nearby

Accessible parking

Frequently asked questions

Inside the Folger

On Folger grounds

Contact us

Accessibility

Things to do

Exhibitions

Folger Café: Quill & Crumb

Plan your visit

Upcoming closures

HOURS

Galleries and Great Hall

Reading Room

Quill & Crumb: Now open!

Theater

ADMISSION

Reserving timed-entry passes

Frequently asked questions

New public entrances

East entrance

West entrance

Find us on Capitol Hill

Getting here

Address

Frequently asked questions

Contact us

Accessibility

Things to do

Exhibitions

Folger Café: Quill & Crumb

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