Visitors to the Folger Shakespeare Library can join a docent-led tour of the exhibits, gardens, or special collections. By taking a guided tour you can hear behind-the-scenes stories about the museum’s founders—Henry Clay Folger and Emily Jordan Folger—who built the museum as a “gift to the American people.” You can also take a tour of the “reading rooms” where scholars from across the world are studying the museum’s expansive collections.
The best way to reach the Folger Shakespeare Library is by bus or Metrorail. The closest metro station is the Capitol South stop (Orange, Blue, and Silver lines). Metrobus routes 32, 34, 36, 96, and 97 all stop close to the library.
The library is open daily and walk-in tours are offered Monday–Saturday at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm, plus on Sunday at 12pm and 3pm. To attend a concert, play, family activity, or lecture, check the library’s website for details.
The Folger Shakespeare Library is one of the many attractions that draw visitors to Washington DC’s Capitol Hill. While in the area, visitors should not miss the chance to tour the US Capitol Building, stand on the steps of the Supreme Court, explore the Library of Congress, and enjoy the US Botanic Garden.
