If you ever have some research to do on William Shakespeare you´d better be in Washington D.C., because here you will find the Folger Shakespeare Library. Well, even if you don´t do research, the library is an attraction in it´s own right. It also has a stage where plays, poetry reading and music are featured. But primarily the library is known for the worlds biggest collection of printed Shakespeare works and related literature. Scholars come here to do research in the holy reading room. Visitors can only enter and see the reading room once a week when the scholars make their one hour high noon lunch break on Saturdays. Underneath the library, in the cellars of the building are the vaults where the priceless treasure of 82 First Folios are kept. A First Folio is the collection of Shakespeare´s plays printed in a certain format in 1623. Approximately 750 copies were printed of which only 228 survived the times. The Folger Shakesperare Library holds the biggest First Folio collection.

The library is within eyeshot of the Capitol

The interior of the building is kept in Tudor Style as is seen here in the exhibition hall.

The great reading room

This definetely reminded me of my school days when we read and performed

"A Midsummer Night´s Dream" to the wonderful music of Mendelsohn.

One of the famous First Folios. It also contains one of only two portraits believed to depict Shakespeare

the way he may actually have looked.

A Julia costume used in one of the historic performances.

Henry V

Preparing for the upcoming musical performance

The stage and audience room resembles a typical Elisabethan Theatre of London.

We listened to a wonderful concert of Early Music of New Spain by the Folger Consort,

the library´s early music ensemble.

Click here for more pics of the Folger Shakespeare Library