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.
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.
Related blog posts
Explore some of the scholarly work being done with, in, and around our collections.
Making Meaning of Adapted Shakespeare: White Femininity in Re-Imaginings of Measure for Measure
Fellow Vanessa Corredera examines the use of color in adaptations of Measure for Measure
The Meaning of Mining from Agricola to Zárate
Fellow Anita Raychawdhuri explores how mining was imagined in the Early Modern world by examining images and tales of colonial Peru.
A Tour of the Newly-Reopened Folger | Part 2
We take a look at how research happens at the Folger, from Folger Institute fellowships to the chairs in our Reading Room.
Ovid, Shakespeare, and 'The Latinist' (Part Two)
The second part of the opening conversation between emma poltrack and Dr. Will Tosh as part of the June 2024 discussion of Mark Prins’s The Latinist.
Ovid, Shakespeare, and 'The Latinist' (Part One)
We revisit the opening conversation between emma poltrack and Dr. Will Tosh as part of the June 2024 discussion of Mark Prins’s The Latinist.