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Folger Story

Renovation update: A note from Director Mike Witmore about the extended renovation timeline

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There is a constant thrum of activity around the Folger. Our staff and our construction crew are working every day to both solve emergent challenges and to apply finishing touches to the renovation work that we began back in 2020. Pieces of the project have come together beautifully and offer a tantalizing glimpse of the experiences the Folger will offer when we reopen. But, as with any project of this size and complexity, we have also encountered unforeseen hurdles.

I believe it is in the best interest of our vision for the future of the Folger that we extend our renovation timeline and look to reopen to the public in 2024 rather than in November 2023. It’s difficult to make this decision, as we want to share this magnificent, accessible new version of the Folger with our community as soon as possible. But we must be good stewards to our collection and to the historic building in our care. Careful attention is needed at every stage of the work, and this requires more time.

A silver lining: construction is winding down in the areas surrounding the theater, and we hope to present the 2023-2024 Theatre season largely as planned. We’ll have details finalized and ready to share on our website before the end of September.

We will share a new opening date and details about our reopening celebrations before the end of the year. We know that in pushing forward the reopening, we are setting the Folger up for success in the years ahead. Thank you for coming with us on this journey. We are looking forward to celebrating with you when we arrive at our new beginning in 2024.

View gallery
Wood and glass double doors with long vertical silver handles. The door on the rigth is open to reveal the east lobby with a slate tile floor and the lights of the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall in the background. A construction worker prepares to climb his orange ladder to work on the Folger Shakespeare Library name above the visitor desk Light wooden wall with vertical slats and Shakespeare Exhibition Hall sign in the middle smoother wood section. A yellow ladder is open to the left with boxes and machinery along the bottom edge of the wall. Ramp with light golden wood walls and black rails leading into the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall which is lit with dramatic circles of light. In the background, the west lobby and its doors glow with light on the opposite end of the buidling. Three workers in bright yellow construction vests work on the white shelves of the Gift Shop which is anchored by a light wood desk on the left and white wooden slats forming a wall on the right. Dark wooden double doors lead from the Great Hall across a lighter wood walkway with railings towards the carriage door view. A wayfinding sign points visitors towards the Great Hall, cafe, theatre, and restrooms to the left and to the Reading Room and Meeting Rooms to the left. View of the northern facade with nine Shakespeare bas reliefs, art deco aluminum grills covering tall windows, and the green grass of the front lawn with the building address 201 East Capitol Street SE in silver letters in the white marble.

Renovation in progress: See recent photos

Learn more about the building renovation

Michael Witmore

is the director of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. — View all posts by Michael Witmore