Folger Shakespeare Library

Washington, D.C., United States

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Opening hours: Su, Tu-We 11:00-18:00; Th-Sa 11:00-21:00; Mo off

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

Find out more

The Folger Shakespeare Library, a Moderne-style building completed in 1932 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., holds the world's largest collection of printed works by William Shakespeare and serves as a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period (1500–1750) in Britain and Europe. Established by Henry Clay Folger and his wife Emily Jordan Folger, the independent research institution opened two years after Folger's death and remains privately endowed and administered by the Trustees of Amherst College. Beyond its unparalleled holdings, the library hosts the award-winning Folger Theatre, the Folger Consort early-music ensemble, and numerous educational programs, performances, and scholarly seminars. It publishes the Folger Library editions of Shakespeare's plays and Shakespeare Quarterly journal, and is recognized as a leader in rare-materials preservation.