After undergoing a major four-year renovation, the Folger Shakespeare Library reopens tomorrow, June 21! As I said when I first posted about the attraction on Capitol Hill several years ago: You don’t have to be a huge Shakespeare enthusiast to enjoy the Folger (but if you are you will love it). And, now, there are even more features and offerings for all ages that greatly underscore my earlier sentiment.
The main upgrade is a whole new 12,000 square-foot lower-level space, the Adams Pavilion, that allows the Folger to share more of its collection, including precious items that could not be displayed in the brighter light in the Great Hall. Exhibits now sprawl throughout state-of-the-art galleries below. Here’s what you can look forward to exploring there, and admission to all of it is FREE…
First Folio Display
The Folger hosts the world largest collection — 82 copies — of the First Folio. (The First Folios are the book containing 18 of Shakespeare’s plays. If it weren’t for the First Folios, the works might have been lost forever.) For the first time, they are being displayed all together in a 20-foot-long visible vault. Digital activity displays let guests explore the contents from the perspective of a detective, storyteller, or collector. There’s also a facsimile of a Folger First Folio (#68) in the gallery across the hall where kids can search for answers to the provided clues.
17th-Century Printing Press Replica
In the same gallery as the First Folios is a recreation of a 17th-century printing press, similar to the one used to print Shakespeare’s First Folios. On select days, there will be demos of the press, and visitors will be able to try their hand at type-setting as it was done in a 1623 print shop. An interactive Printing with Light station is available anytime that lets you ‘print’ without the messiness of ink.
Discovery and Decoder Trails
There are a couple of new, fun ways for kids to explore the Folger. They can follow the Discovery Trail (recommended for ages 3-5) and search for images from the Folger Collection on the walls of the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall that match the ones in their notes. Pick up a magnifying glass and Decoder Kit from the Welcome Desk to use on the Decoder Trail (ages 6-9) and follow clues through the galleries — decode messages, solve riddles, and create a poem to receive a special badge.
Shake Up Your Shakespeare
This interactive display/game lets you create a Shakespearean conversation, using compliments, insults, and memorable lines from Shakespeare’s plays.
Rare Books and Manuscripts
Another area downstairs, the Stuart and Mimi Rose Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall, showcases even more materials from the Folger collection that inspire their work. Items on display may relate to plays being performed, and there is a section made to look like the vault where they are stored. While items will rotate in and out, right now you can view the first printed copy of Huckleberry Finn signed by Mark Twain, a first edition Winnie the Pooh with an inscription by A.A. Milne to his son, and a first edition of Galileo’s Dialogo, and many more fascinating texts.
You can discover everything on your own, or there are booklets available to help you explore them. There is also a table set up for hands-on activities, and right now families can experience part of the book-making process by folding printed sheets to create folios, quartos, or octavos.
Gardens & Grounds
Don’t overlook the outdoor areas of the Folger. The gardens at the East and West entrances are also new, beautiful, and interesting to explore. There are quotes etched into the walls, many of the plants are referenced in Shakespeare’s works, and the paths winding around them make the Folger more accessible (and stroller-friendly). There are benches around the lovely grounds, and they are always open and accessible.
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These are just some of the main highlights for families and kids. There is also the Reading Room, performances in the theatre (Metamorphoses closes after this weekend, and Romeo and Juliet is up next in the fall), and the Great Hall that will be an open, welcoming gathering place with the Quill Crumb café (coming soon).
Now, get thee back to the back to the Folger Shakespeare Library!
Grand Reopening… Celebrate the reopening at a special event Friday, July 21, 1-9pm, Saturday, July 22, 11am – 9pm, and Sunday, 11am – 6pm! Explore new fascinating exhibition galleries and see the beautiful historic Reading Room, play jumbo lawn games, grab a bite from local food trucks, chat with guides about the new space, and browse the gift shop. Admission is free. In the evening, catch a performance of Metamorphoses at 8 pm (tickets starting at $20).
Folger Shakespeare Library
Where: 201 East Capitol St SE | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Sun/Tues/Weds, 11am – 6pm | Thurs/Fri/Sat, 11am – 9pm
Admission: FREE
