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Plan your visit

Hours, admission, directions, and more information for planning your visit

a ramp leading down through green gardens and past the Puck fountain to the Folger building west entrance, on a sunny day

HOURS

Galleries and Great Hall

Exhibitions, café, and gift shop

Sundays: 11am – 6pm*
Mondays: Closed
Tuesday and Wednesday: 11am – 6pm*
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 11am – 9pm

*Extended evening hours on performance days.

Reading Room

Hours and how to use the library

Quill & Crumb: Now open!

Please note that our café closes a half hour before the rest of the building. However, when there is an evening performance, Quill & Crumb will be open through intermission.

About the café

The Folger is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

ADMISSION

It is free to visit the Folger, and we welcome walk-in visitors as building capacity allows.

However, we recommend that you reserve a pay-what-you-will timed-entry pass, with a suggested donation starting at $15.

Reserving timed-entry passes

Passes are now available to reserve online.

Book now

Or, browse our calendar for another day you’d like to visit. When you find the date you want, click “Book Now” to reserve your pass. Calendar

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Folger using timed-entry passes, and why should I reserve one?
Do I need to pay for a timed-entry pass?
What does my donation go toward?
Do I need a timed-entry pass if I’m just visiting the café, shop, or Reading Room?
Do I need a timed-entry pass if I already have a ticket for a Folger event?
How far in advance do timed-entry passes become available?
Do I need to reserve a timed-entry pass if I'm a Folger Member?

New public entrances

Both our east and west entrances are open to the public. Follow the sloping walkways down through the gardens to enter the new Adams Pavilion.

a ramp leading down through gardens to the Folger building east entrance, on a sunny day with the US Capitol in the background

East entrance

located at the corner of East Capitol Street and 3rd Street SE

a ramp leading down through green gardens and past the Puck fountain to the Folger building west entrance, on a sunny day

West entrance

located at the corner of East Capitol Street and 2nd Street SE

Find us on Capitol Hill

The Folger Shakespeare Library is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC. Our building is one block away from the US Capitol, next to the Library of Congress (Thomas Jefferson and John Adams buildings), and diagonally adjacent to the Supreme Court.

Night view of the Folger Shakespeare Library with the U.S. Capitol building in the background

Getting here

Address

201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Both the west and east entrances are open, but if you’re attending an event in our theater, please use the east entrance at the corner of East Capitol Street and 3rd Street, SE.

Metrorail
Bus
Biking
Parking

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a question about timed-entry passes? See our dedicated FAQ in the Admission section of this page.

Where can I eat or drink?
I'd like to bring a group. What should I do?
Is there free wifi?
Is flash photography allowed?
Where do I enter the building?
Is there a coat check?
Will I need to go through a security check?
Are animals allowed?
Is there a lactation room?
Are there changing tables in the bathrooms?
Are there water fountains or places to fill a water bottle?

Contact us

Not finding the answer you need? Contact our Visitor Experience team at folgerboxoffice@folger.edu or 202-544-7077. Phone lines are open Monday through Friday, 12pm – 5pm, with extended hours on performance days.

Things to do
Three girls looking happy and expectant
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Things to do

Here’s a taste of what you can do when visiting the Folger: explore our exhibitions, enjoy our gardens, encounter new art and poetry, and more.

Exhibitions
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Exhibitions

Get up close with the incredible books, manuscripts, art, and objects that make up the world’s largest Shakespeare collection.

Folger Café: Quill & Crumb
plates with cheese, dips, bread, crackers, and charcuterie, along with coffee and another drink
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Folger Café: Quill & Crumb

Quill & Crumb is the new Folger café, located in the Great Hall. Enjoy lunch, baked goods, and snacks alongside coffee and tea service. The bar offers beer, wine, local cider, and assorted seasonal cocktails.