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Folger Shakespeare Library

ArchitectureHistoryLiteratureClosed todayFreeCapitol South (Orange, Blue, Silver lines) — 4 blocks

Ιδρυμένη από τους Henry Clay και Emily Jordan Folger και ανοιχτή για το κοινό από το 1932, η Folger Shakespeare Library στεγάζει τη μεγαλύτερη συλλογή έργων του Σαίξπηρ στον κόσμο: πάνω από 250.000 βιβλία, περίπου 60.000 χειρόγραφα και 82 αντίτυπα του First Folio του 1623 – περισσότερο από το ένα τρίτο όλων των αντιτύπων που διασώζονται παγκοσμίως. Το κτίριο από λευκό μάρμαρο, σχεδιασμένο από τον Paul Philippe Cret, κρύβει ένα ελισαβετιανό εσωτερικό με ένα ξυλόπηκτο θέατρο εμπνευσμένο από τις αυλές πανδοχείων της Αναγέννησης και μια Great Hall με δρύινη επένδυση και ανάγλυφα διακοσμητικά γύψινα. Μια πολυετής ανακαίνιση που ολοκληρώθηκε τον Ιούνιο του 2024 άνοιξε το κτίριο στους επισκέπτες σε πρωτοφανή κλίμακα, προσθέτοντας δύο νέους εκθεσιακούς χώρους, ένα εργαστήριο μάθησης, ένα café στη Great Hall και κήπους αφιερωμένους στον Σαίξπηρ με μπαλκόνι της Ιουλιέτας. Η είσοδος είναι ελεύθερη, ενώ το Gail Kern Paster Reading Room –που συνήθως προορίζεται για ερευνητές– είναι προσβάσιμο στο κοινό τα απογεύματα της Παρασκευής και τα σαββατοκύριακα.

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Getting there

201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003, United States

Nearest station: Capitol South (Orange, Blue, Silver lines) — 4 blocks, Union Station (Red line) — 8 blocks, Eastern Market (Orange, Blue, Silver lines)

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Hours

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
ThuClosed
FriClosed
SatTodayClosed
SunClosed

Admission

Free

Free entry. A pay-what-you-will timed-entry pass is recommended (suggested donation from $15); walk-ins welcome as capacity allows. Passes are released up to three months ahead. Guided one-hour group tours cost $25 per person and include admission.

Nearby

Library of Congress

ArchitectureFree2 min walk

National Museum of the American Indian

ArtFree14 min walk

Rubell Museum DC

Art16 min walk

National Air and Space Museum

HistoryFree18 min walk

Visitor Information

Is Folger Shakespeare Library free to visit?
Yes, general admission to Folger Shakespeare Library is free. Free entry. A pay-what-you-will timed-entry pass is recommended (suggested donation from $15); walk-ins welcome as capacity allows. Passes are released up to three months ahead. Guided one-hour group tours cost $25 per person and include admission.. Some special exhibitions may charge a separate ticket, so check the museum's website before visiting.
What are the opening hours of Folger Shakespeare Library?
Folger Shakespeare Library is open Galleries and Great Hall: Tue–Thu and Sat–Sun 11am–6pm, Fri 11am–9pm; closed Mondays. On evenings with public events the galleries stay open until 30 minutes before the event starts. The Paster Reading Room opens to visitors Fri 5–8pm and Sat–Sun 11am–5pm. The café closes half an hour before the rest of the building. No dated closures announced as of 10 September 2026.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
Where is Folger Shakespeare Library?
Folger Shakespeare Library is located at 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003, United States, in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC. The nearest stations are Capitol South (Orange, Blue, Silver lines) — 4 blocks, Union Station (Red line) — 8 blocks, Eastern Market (Orange, Blue, Silver lines).
What can I see at Folger Shakespeare Library?
Η μεγαλύτερη συλλογή έργων του Σαίξπηρ στον κόσμο – 82 First Folios, ένα ελισαβετιανό θέατρο και μια αίθουσα Great Hall εποχής Τυδώρ, μόλις τέσσερα τετράγωνα από το Capitol. Current highlights include Έκθεση για τον Shakespeare (Shakespeare Exhibition), The Great Hall, Να ακούσεις τη φωνή της: Οι μαύρες γυναίκες και ο Shakespeare (To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare).
Do I need to book Folger Shakespeare Library in advance?
Folger Shakespeare Library is free to enter and most days you can walk in. Free entry. A pay-what-you-will timed-entry pass is recommended (suggested donation from $15); walk-ins welcome as capacity allows. Passes are released up to three months ahead. Guided one-hour group tours cost $25 per person and include admission.. For special exhibitions, weekends, and school holidays, booking a timed slot can help you skip queues. Check the museum's website for current requirements.
When is the best time to visit Folger Shakespeare Library?
Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.

Ser Amantio di Nicolao, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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