Reading Room at the Folger Shakespeare Library
Parking available
Home to a vast and influential collection of Shakespeareana, primarily for researchers.

šŸ“œ Independent research library on Capitol Hill, home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works.
šŸ” Primarily for scholars, with public access via tours and special events.

Why Go

šŸ“š Study rare Shakespearean materials, including the First Folio and incunables.
šŸ–¼ļø Admire 18th and 19th-century artwork depicting Shakespearean characters.
šŸ‘» Visit Henry Clay Folger's mausoleum.
šŸ§£ Borrow handmade shawls for comfort in the cool reading room.
šŸ›ļø Explore a historic building with unique architecture.

Why Avoid

āš ļø Admission to the reading room is generally reserved for researchers; public access is limited to docent-guided tours or special events.

Tips

šŸ“ Advance registration required for free, hour-long docent-guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays.
šŸ„¶ The reading room is kept cool to preserve fragile materials, so dress warmly or borrow a shawl.

Cost

šŸ’° Free for docent-guided tours; some special events and festival activities may have a fee.

Hours

šŸ•’ Docent-guided tours available on Saturday and Sunday afternoons; phone lines open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm.

Getting There

šŸ…æļø Self-parking available.
šŸš‡ Also located near Capitol South and Union Station Metro stops (Blue, Orange, Silver lines).

Last updated 1 day ago

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