The Folger’s collection is vast and varied, including printed books; manuscripts; prints, drawings, photographs, paintings, and other works of art; and a wealth of performance history, from playbills to films, recordings, and stage costumes.
In addition to the rare material collection, the Folger holds a collection of over 100,000 monographs, periodicals, and electronic resources published between the 1830s and the present, related to the understanding and interpretation of Shakespeare, his works and impact, and to the early modern world.
Printed Books
Manuscripts
Works of Art
Performance History
History of the collection
Henry Clay Folger and his wife, Emily Jordan Folger, began amassing the collection of rare books that would become the Folger Shakespeare Library in 1889. They spent decades gathering the world’s largest Shakespeare collection, as well as associated works from Shakespeare’s time. The Library itself opened in 1932, and continues to expand its holdings today.
Caring for our collections
Related blog posts
Explore some of the scholarly work being done with, in, and around our collections.
The Curious Papers of the Curious Dr. Stukeley
A look at items in the Folger collection belonging to William Stukeley, an antiquarian with an interest in Robin Hood
Seeking and Finding: Using the Collection in an Undergraduate Writing Class
GWU students reflect on their experience using the Folger collections in Dr. Rachel Pollack’s first-year writing course.
Unsexing St. Agatha
To celebrate her feast day, explore the legend of Saint Agatha as told through Folger manuscript V.b.334
Esther Inglis meet Taylor Swift
Go behind the scenes of our exhibition, Little Books, Big Gifts: The Artistry of Esther Inglis. 400 years after her death, Inglis “can still make the whole place shimmer.”
Sweet Blood: A Play in Progress
Artistic Fellow Camille Thomas shares how research at the Folger helps inform her play, Sweet Blood.