Welcome to the Folger
Enjoy great stories | Explore what makes you curious | Share the best in art, history, and literature with friends and family at the world’s largest Shakespeare collection.
Plan your visit
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Explore our exhibitions
See what’s on view in our galleries.
Take a tour
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Check out our shop
Gifts, games, merch, and more!
Eat at Quill & Crumb
Enjoy lunch or a quick snack at our café.
What’s on
Join us for talks, poetry, music, and other programs.
As You Like It
Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era
The 2026 Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize Reading
On View: Mandy Cano Villalobos
Our Shakespeare Exhibition
Folger Book Club: 'Queen Hereafter' by Isabelle Schuler
Blackwork Embroidery with Heidi Henderson
About us
How did the world’s largest Shakespeare collection end up one block from the US Capitol? Explore the Folger’s origin story.
The latest from our blogs and podcast
"A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye": An Unnamed Fairy in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
This solution to February’s Folger Mystery looks at how editors of A Midsummer Night’s Dream have dealt with the ambiguous presence of one its fairies.
We Are Arden: A First Look from the Creative Team of "As You Like It"
Explore how Shakespeare’s fabled Forest of Arden is deeply inspired in Folger Theatre’s production by the familiar sounds, sights, delights, and vibes of Washington, DC.
'Queen Hereafter' Resource Guide
On March 5, 2026 the Folger’s virtual book club returns with a discussion of Queen Hereafter by Isabelle Schuler. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to Shakespeare’s iconic character.
The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery
In 1789, John Boydell opened a London gallery of paintings of Shakespeare scenes. It became a sensation, transforming Shakespeare into a national icon and elevating public art. Rosie Dias and Michael Dobson discuss its rise and fall.
Famous quotes from As You Like It
Shakespeare’s beloved pastoral comedy overflows with wit and poetry, including the memorable Seven Ages of Man speech which begins “All the world’s a stage.” Explore some of the play’s most well-known lines, in order of their appearance.
About 'Queen Hereafter'
Introductory information on the March 2026 Folger Book Club selection, Queen Hereafter by Isabelle Schuler.
Our collection
The First Folio
The Folger has the world’s largest collection of First Folios. Learn more about the book that gave us Shakespeare.
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.
Shakespeare’s works
View the full list of plays and poems to read, search, and download our bestselling editions of Shakespeare’s works.
Shakespeare’s most popular plays
Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Julius Caesar
Othello
Hamlet
Explore
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
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
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.