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Archived: 2026-04-23 15:31
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The Folger is closed to the public on Friday, April 24. The building will reopen at noon on Saturday, April 25.
Shakespeare and the American Story
On view in our exhibition galleries through August 2
Learn more
Welcome to the Folger!
Choose how you want to experience Shakespeare, the humanities, and our world-renowned collection.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
What's On
Performances
Research
Research
Teach
Education
Visit Shakespeare’s home in America
Visiting after our building reopens June 21
Plan your visit
Get details and reserve timed-entry passes.
Tours
Take a tour
Reserve a group tour or student experience.
Folger Café: Quill & Crumb
Eat at Quill & Crumb
Enjoy lunch or a quick snack at our café.
About us
About us
The Folger Shakespeare Library showcases the utility of Shakespeare and the humanities in cultivating healthy civic life.
What’s on
Join us for talks, poetry, music, and other programs.
View all
Shakespeare and the American Story
Shakespeare and the American Story
The Folger is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by sharing items that show how Americans from all backgrounds have made Shakespeare’s words and stories their own.
Fri, Apr 17 – Sun, Aug 02, 2026
Learn More
Rose Exhibition Hall
Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era
Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era
Displayed together for the first time since 1805, 14 paintings from the influential Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London will be on view at the Folger, offering visitors the chance to consider both the stories Shakespeare created and the stories that were created about him.
Sat, Oct 4, 2025 – Sun, Aug 2, 2026
Learn More
Rose Exhibition Hall
Folger Gala 2026
Folger Gala
Join us on Friday, April 24, for the annual Folger Gala—a celebratory evening to benefit the Folger and its many vital and creative programmatic offerings.
Fri, Apr 24, 2026
Learn More
Folger Library
Federal Theatre Project's Macbeth, adapted and directed by Adjoa Andoh MBE
Staged Reading:
Macbeth
A staged reading commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Federal Theatre Project’s production of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth
concludes Adjoa Andoh’s Director’s Residency at the Folger.
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 7pm
Sold Out
Folger Theatre
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
Learn More
Shakespeare Exhibition Hall
Collage Poetry Workshop with Hannah Baker Saltmarsh and Sarah Antine
Collage Poetry Workshop with Hannah Baker Saltmarsh and Sarah Antine
In this workshop, we’ll provide materials and inspiration for creating an artistic collage that references the symbolic meanings of flowers found in Ophelia’s famous speech and other poetic texts, from Emily Dickinson to Audre Lorde.
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, at 4:30pm
Learn More
Folger Library
Teacher Weekend Intensive: Exploring the New Folger Guides to Teaching Shakespeare
Teacher Weekend Intensive: Exploring the New Folger Guides to Teaching Shakespeare
Folger Education is offering a two-day professional development workshop for teachers focused on new resources for teaching Shakespeare.
Fri, May 1 – Sat, May 2, 2026
Dates & Tickets
Folger Library
Director’s Residency
Adjoa Andoh
Director’s Residency: April 19-25
Adjoa Andoh MBE is most well-known among American audiences for her role as Lady Danbury in the Netflix show
Bridgerton
, but she is also a highly regarded Shakespearean actor and director. Learn more about the public events happening during her
Director’s Residency
at the Folger.
The latest from our blogs and podcast
View all blogs
Love Story’s doomed Shakespearean romance
Shakespeare and Beyond
Love Story’s doomed Shakespearean romance
Posted
April 21, 2026
Author
Austin Tichenor
Viewers might be surprised by the number of Shakespearean elements in the miniseries which fictionalizes the doomed relationship between John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette. And they’re not all from
Romeo and Juliet.
The Translator's Art and Shakespeare, with Daniel Hahn
Shakespeare Unlimited
The Translator's Art and Shakespeare, with Daniel Hahn
Posted
April 20, 2026
Is Shakespeare still Shakespeare even if every word is changed? Author and translator Daniel Hahn dives into the challenges and rewards of translating Shakespeare—exploring not only what is lost in translation, but also what is gained.
Q&A: Patrick Stewart on performing Shakespeare's sonnets
Shakespeare and Beyond
Q&A: Patrick Stewart on performing Shakespeare's sonnets
Posted
April 17, 2026
The acclaimed actor talks about the essential message of love he discovered at the heart of each sonnet while recording all 154 for a new audiobook. He also shares recordings of three of the sonnets, including his favorite one.
Interview and excerpt: Amrita Sen and Jennifer Linhart Wood on 'Early Modern Performance Beyond the Public Stage'
Collation
Interview and excerpt: Amrita Sen and Jennifer Linhart Wood on 'Early Modern Performance Beyond the Public Stage'
Posted
April 16, 2026
Author
Amrita Sen
Jennifer Linhart Wood
Read an excerpt of
Early Modern Performance Beyond the Public Stage
and an interview with co-editors Amrita Sen and Jennifer Linhart Wood.
Famous quotes from Macbeth
Shakespeare and Beyond
Famous quotes from Macbeth
Posted
April 15, 2026
Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy,
Macbeth,
tells a story of ambition, violent murder, and its crippling psychological aftereffects, all foretold by a trio of witches. Explore some of the play’s most well-known lines, in order of their appearance.
The one (fem.)
Collation
The one (fem.)
Posted
April 14, 2026
Author
Billy Morgan
Artistic Research Fellow Billy Morgan shares and contextualizes an excerpt of a fiction piece shaped by their work at the Folger.
Our collection
The Shakespeare First Folio
The First Folio
The Folger has the world’s largest collection of First Folios. Learn more about the book that gave us Shakespeare.
Collection highlights
A majestic portrait
The Folger collection includes about 200 paintings. This portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by George Gower is dated 1579, making it the oldest painting in our collection. Two years after he completed this portrait, Gower became Serjeant Painter to the Queen, making him the most important artist in England.
Our other Elizabeth I holdings include hand-signed letters, books, and even New Year’s gift rolls detailing her holiday gifts. It is the largest collection of Elizabeth I materials in North America.
View more collection highlights
Shakespeare’s works
View the full list of plays and poems to read, search, and download our bestselling editions of Shakespeare’s works.
See all the plays and poems
Shakespeare’s most popular plays
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
Macbeth
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Othello
Othello
Hamlet
Hamlet
Explore
Shakespeare’s theater
What was Shakespeare's theater like?
Learn about the Globe and other London playhouses where Shakespeare’s company performed. What was it like to be an actor there, or an audience member?
Teach
The Folger Method
How can Shakespeare help 21st-century students be stronger readers?
Our Folger Method is revolutionizing how not just Shakespeare but all literature is taught using strategies that allow all students to own – and enjoy – complex texts.
Research
Featured research projects and initiatives
If we are what we eat, what can recipes from the past tell us?
Projects like
Before ‘Farm to Table’
unite scholars and practitioners in investigations into the past to shed light on what matters to us today.
Support the things you love
Your gifts make access to our collection, learning opportunities, and exciting experiences happen.
Give today
Become a member
Folger Shop
Folger Shop
Find unique gifts inspired by Shakespeare and our collection.
Stay connected
Find out what’s on, read our latest stories, and learn how you can get involved.
Sign up
Skip to main content
The Folger is closed to the public on Friday, April 24. The building will reopen at noon on Saturday, April 25.
Shakespeare and the American Story
On view in our exhibition galleries through August 2
Learn more
Welcome to the Folger!
Choose how you want to experience Shakespeare, the humanities, and our world-renowned collection.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
What's On
Performances
Research
Research
Teach
Education
Visit Shakespeare’s home in America
Visiting after our building reopens June 21
Plan your visit
Get details and reserve timed-entry passes.
Tours
Take a tour
Reserve a group tour or student experience.
Folger Café: Quill & Crumb
Eat at Quill & Crumb
Enjoy lunch or a quick snack at our café.
About us
About us
The Folger Shakespeare Library showcases the utility of Shakespeare and the humanities in cultivating healthy civic life.
What’s on
Join us for talks, poetry, music, and other programs.
View all
Shakespeare and the American Story
Shakespeare and the American Story
The Folger is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by sharing items that show how Americans from all backgrounds have made Shakespeare’s words and stories their own.
Fri, Apr 17 – Sun, Aug 02, 2026
Learn More
Rose Exhibition Hall
Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era
Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era
Displayed together for the first time since 1805, 14 paintings from the influential Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London will be on view at the Folger, offering visitors the chance to consider both the stories Shakespeare created and the stories that were created about him.
Sat, Oct 4, 2025 – Sun, Aug 2, 2026
Learn More
Rose Exhibition Hall
Folger Gala 2026
Folger Gala
Join us on Friday, April 24, for the annual Folger Gala—a celebratory evening to benefit the Folger and its many vital and creative programmatic offerings.
Fri, Apr 24, 2026
Learn More
Folger Library
Federal Theatre Project's Macbeth, adapted and directed by Adjoa Andoh MBE
Staged Reading:
Macbeth
A staged reading commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Federal Theatre Project’s production of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth
concludes Adjoa Andoh’s Director’s Residency at the Folger.
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 7pm
Sold Out
Folger Theatre
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
Learn More
Shakespeare Exhibition Hall
Collage Poetry Workshop with Hannah Baker Saltmarsh and Sarah Antine
Collage Poetry Workshop with Hannah Baker Saltmarsh and Sarah Antine
In this workshop, we’ll provide materials and inspiration for creating an artistic collage that references the symbolic meanings of flowers found in Ophelia’s famous speech and other poetic texts, from Emily Dickinson to Audre Lorde.
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, at 4:30pm
Learn More
Folger Library
Teacher Weekend Intensive: Exploring the New Folger Guides to Teaching Shakespeare
Teacher Weekend Intensive: Exploring the New Folger Guides to Teaching Shakespeare
Folger Education is offering a two-day professional development workshop for teachers focused on new resources for teaching Shakespeare.
Fri, May 1 – Sat, May 2, 2026
Dates & Tickets
Folger Library
Director’s Residency
Adjoa Andoh
Director’s Residency: April 19-25
Adjoa Andoh MBE is most well-known among American audiences for her role as Lady Danbury in the Netflix show
Bridgerton
, but she is also a highly regarded Shakespearean actor and director. Learn more about the public events happening during her
Director’s Residency
at the Folger.
The latest from our blogs and podcast
View all blogs
Love Story’s doomed Shakespearean romance
Shakespeare and Beyond
Love Story’s doomed Shakespearean romance
Posted
April 21, 2026
Author
Austin Tichenor
Viewers might be surprised by the number of Shakespearean elements in the miniseries which fictionalizes the doomed relationship between John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette. And they’re not all from
Romeo and Juliet.
The Translator's Art and Shakespeare, with Daniel Hahn
Shakespeare Unlimited
The Translator's Art and Shakespeare, with Daniel Hahn
Posted
April 20, 2026
Is Shakespeare still Shakespeare even if every word is changed? Author and translator Daniel Hahn dives into the challenges and rewards of translating Shakespeare—exploring not only what is lost in translation, but also what is gained.
Q&A: Patrick Stewart on performing Shakespeare's sonnets
Shakespeare and Beyond
Q&A: Patrick Stewart on performing Shakespeare's sonnets
Posted
April 17, 2026
The acclaimed actor talks about the essential message of love he discovered at the heart of each sonnet while recording all 154 for a new audiobook. He also shares recordings of three of the sonnets, including his favorite one.
Interview and excerpt: Amrita Sen and Jennifer Linhart Wood on 'Early Modern Performance Beyond the Public Stage'
Collation
Interview and excerpt: Amrita Sen and Jennifer Linhart Wood on 'Early Modern Performance Beyond the Public Stage'
Posted
April 16, 2026
Author
Amrita Sen
Jennifer Linhart Wood
Read an excerpt of
Early Modern Performance Beyond the Public Stage
and an interview with co-editors Amrita Sen and Jennifer Linhart Wood.
Famous quotes from Macbeth
Shakespeare and Beyond
Famous quotes from Macbeth
Posted
April 15, 2026
Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy,
Macbeth,
tells a story of ambition, violent murder, and its crippling psychological aftereffects, all foretold by a trio of witches. Explore some of the play’s most well-known lines, in order of their appearance.
The one (fem.)
Collation
The one (fem.)
Posted
April 14, 2026
Author
Billy Morgan
Artistic Research Fellow Billy Morgan shares and contextualizes an excerpt of a fiction piece shaped by their work at the Folger.
Our collection
The Shakespeare First Folio
The First Folio
The Folger has the world’s largest collection of First Folios. Learn more about the book that gave us Shakespeare.
Collection highlights
A majestic portrait
The Folger collection includes about 200 paintings. This portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by George Gower is dated 1579, making it the oldest painting in our collection. Two years after he completed this portrait, Gower became Serjeant Painter to the Queen, making him the most important artist in England.
Our other Elizabeth I holdings include hand-signed letters, books, and even New Year’s gift rolls detailing her holiday gifts. It is the largest collection of Elizabeth I materials in North America.
View more collection highlights
Shakespeare’s works
View the full list of plays and poems to read, search, and download our bestselling editions of Shakespeare’s works.
See all the plays and poems
Shakespeare’s most popular plays
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
Macbeth
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Othello
Othello
Hamlet
Hamlet
Explore
Shakespeare’s theater
What was Shakespeare's theater like?
Learn about the Globe and other London playhouses where Shakespeare’s company performed. What was it like to be an actor there, or an audience member?
Teach
The Folger Method
How can Shakespeare help 21st-century students be stronger readers?
Our Folger Method is revolutionizing how not just Shakespeare but all literature is taught using strategies that allow all students to own – and enjoy – complex texts.
Research
Featured research projects and initiatives
If we are what we eat, what can recipes from the past tell us?
Projects like
Before ‘Farm to Table’
unite scholars and practitioners in investigations into the past to shed light on what matters to us today.
Support the things you love
Your gifts make access to our collection, learning opportunities, and exciting experiences happen.
Give today
Become a member
Folger Shop
Folger Shop
Find unique gifts inspired by Shakespeare and our collection.
Stay connected
Find out what’s on, read our latest stories, and learn how you can get involved.
Sign up