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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
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
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
Othello and Storytelling: Who Gets to Speak?
Othello and Storytelling: Who Gets to Speak?
This professional development session for teachers focuses on exploring the use of language in Shakespeare's Othello.
Wed, Mar 25, 2026, 8pm ET
Artist Talk and Performance with Alexander D'Agostino
Artist Talk and Performance with Alexander D'Agostino
Transformer DC and the Folger Shakespeare Library present a special performance event in conjunction with Something Wicked, an exhibition at Transformer by Folger Artistic Research Fellow Alexander D'Agostino.
Sat, Mar 28, 2026 at 4pm
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
Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture with Dr. Emma Smith
Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture with Dr. Emma Smith
Join us for the Folger Institute’s annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Lecture with Dr. Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University.
Sat, Apr 18, 2026 at 7pm
Screening: Shakespeare's Globe "Richard II," introduced by Adjoa Andoh MBE
Shakespeare's Globe Richard II
Join the Folger for a free screening of the 2019 Shakespeare’s Globe production of Richard II. Adjoa Andoh MBE conceived, co-directed, and played the lead in the UK’s first all women-of-color production of this Shakespeare play.
Tue, Apr 21, 2026, 7pm
As You Like It: Finding Joy, Freedom, and Voice
As You Like It: Finding Joy, Freedom, and Voice
This professional development session for teachers focuses on finding joy and space to experiment with Shakespeare's As You Like It.
Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 8pm ET
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