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Free Events
The Folger offers a wide range of free events for audiences of all ages, including our monthly book club discussions and our annual celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday.
On View: Mandy Cano Villalobos
On View: Mandy Cano Villalobos
In this small solo exhibition, artist Mandy Cano Villalobos harnesses the leftover materials of home, belonging, and cultural identity to draw attention to the lasting legacies of injustice and environmental damage that are a consequence of early modern colonization and empire building.
Fri, Feb 20, 2026 – Sun, April, 5, 2026
Gallery Talk: Mandy Cano Villalobos
Gallery Talk: Mandy Cano Villalobos
Learn more about the legacies of injustice and environmental damage that are a consequence of early modern colonization in this gallery talk with Mandy Cano Villalobos as part of "Contemporary Art at the Folger," a rotating series that showcases the work of Folger Artist Fellows.
Fri, Feb 20, 2026, at 6:30pm
Family Workshop: My Shakespearean Monologue
Family Workshop: My Shakespearean Monologue
Attendees will use words and phrases from Shakespeare’s plays to create a personal monologue about who they are, with a chance to proudly perform it for everyone to hear.
Sat, Feb 21, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
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
Folger Book Club: 'Queen Hereafter' by Isabelle Schuler
Folger Book Club: 'Queen Hereafter' by Isabelle Schuler
Our March selection imagines a young Lady Macbeth growing up in and navigating the political perils of medieval Scotland.
Thu, Mar 5, 2026, 6:30pm
Blackwork Embroidery with Heidi Henderson
Blackwork Embroidery with Heidi Henderson
Celebrate Women's History Month with a drop-in embroidery program with Folger Artist Fellow Heidi Henderson, who will be demonstrating the early modern technique of blackwork embroidery.
Sat, Mar 07 — Fri, Mar 13, 2026
Folger Salon with Debbie Finkelstein, Yunah Kae, and Austin Raetz
Folger Salon with Debbie Finkelstein, Yunah Kae, and Austin Raetz
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.
Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 4:30pm
Family Workshop: From Print to Paint
Family Workshop: From Print to Paint
Use your artistic skills to create a performance-inspired artwork that will be displayed in our Rose Exhibition Hall, alongside paintings depicting famous Shakespearean scenes.
Sat, Mar 21, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
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
Folger Book Club: 'The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf' by Isa Arsén
Folger Book Club: 'The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf' by Isa Arsén
Two Shakespearean actors in an unconventional marriage head to New Mexico for a production of Titus Andronicus, only to be drawn into their own tangled drama.
Thu, Apr 2, 2026, 6:30pm
Family Workshop: Celebrations - Shakespearean Style
Family Workshop: Celebrations - Shakespearean Style
In honor of Shakespeare’s birthday, families will explore how celebrations appear in Shakespeare’s plays and share how they celebrate important moments in their own lives. Party hats and streamers not required, as we will make our own!
Sat, Apr 4, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: An Ode to the Gardens
Family Workshop: An Ode to the Gardens
Families will take inspiration from the season to make connections with nature in Shakespeare’s plays and throughout the Folger itself. Then, head to the Folger’s gardens to compose an “Ode to the Folger Gardens,” using lines from Shakespeare and Rita Dove’s poetry!
Sat, May 16, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm