WASHINGTON — The Folger Shakespeare Library, which houses the world's largest Shakespeare collection, reopened in June following a four-year renovation. The transformation of the library now evokes the atmosphere of an English Renaissance inn. This renovation aims to create a building that is radically more accessible and welcoming, connecting with 21st-century audiences.

The private ribbon-cutting ceremony included numerous VIPs, such as Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser; Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden; poet Kyle Dargan; Folger Director Dr. Michael Witmore; Board Chair D. Jarrett Arp; and other members of the Folger's Board of Directors. Dr. Witmore read a special congratulatory message from King Charles III. 

The Folger now welcomes visitors of all ages and offers numerous opportunities to engage directly with its world-class collection and the works of William Shakespeare. All 82 copies of the Folger's First Folios—the first published collection of all Shakespeare's plays—will be displayed together for the first time. This collection is the largest in the world, preserving 18 of Shakespeare's plays, including Macbeth and Julius Caesar, which might have otherwise been lost forever.

"Our reimagined space allows us to bring out the wonders from our archives and provides a blueprint for visitors to engage with Shakespeare in new and interactive ways through the power of performance, the wonder of exhibitions, and the excitement of path-breaking research... all in one building," said Folger Director Michael Witmore.

The $80.5 million building expansion, designed by the Philadelphia-based architectural firm KieranTimberlake, has made the historic building more accessible, welcoming, and dynamic for everyone, from teachers and students of Shakespeare to theater and literature lovers and those curious to learn more. Founded in 1984, the 100-person practice holds prestigious design awards, publications, and exhibitions. The firm’s approach integrates the expertise of architects, researchers, and communicators to create innovative, compelling, and award-winning projects for academic, art, cultural, government, and civic institutions throughout North America and overseas.

Highlights of the renovation include:

•    A new public wing, the Adams Pavilion, with 12,000 square feet of space, houses two modern, state-of-the-art exhibition halls: the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall and the Stuart and Mimi Rose Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall.

•    The Reading Room features new ergonomic furniture designed by Luke Hughes.

•    The intimate Elizabethan Theatre is the setting for Folger Theatre productions, early music concerts by the Folger Consort, O.B. Hardison Poetry programs, family activities, and many education programs, including the Folger’s student festivals.

Overhead, a canopy represents the sky. In Shakespeare’s day, such inns sometimes served as playhouses for traveling groups of players, who performed on a raised platform at one end while spectators gathered in the yard and on the balconies above.

Enhanced accessibility and upgrades throughout the building include accessible new entrances on the east and west sides of the building for visitors using mobility devices and families using strollers; new ramps up to the plinth where visitors can see the Shakespeare bas reliefs and other historic details up close; inside, elevator service to all public spaces; new and expanded all-gender restrooms; and state-of-the-art new HVAC systems.