Washington, DC, USA
Founders Henry Clay Folger and his wife, Emily Jordan Folger, established The Folger Shakespeare Library (FSL) in 1932 as a gift to the American people. FSL has one of the world’s most extensive collections of printed works by William Shakespeare and the greatest number of First Folios. Yet, while scholars saw these important books and manuscripts, there was virtually no public access or programming. Education and outreach inspired an extensive building renovation and galleries that are free to the public.
Folger Shakespeare Library by Studio Joseph for Becker & Frondorf won an American Architecture Award 2025 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
The interpretive premise is to take Shakespeare off his pedestal and bring his works to everyone in a way that meets them where they are. There is no “Shakespeare test,” but rather questions, insights, and gentle provocations—adapt the sacred, embrace the profane, reframe Shakespeare worship, and relish in the playful, mundane, and irreverent. Exhibition methods required technical sophistication, including temperature, humidity, light level controls, and conservation-appropriate materiality.
The North Gallery houses a permanent exhibition with content that centers on Shakespeare, the man, his works, times, and legacy. It includes 82 First Folios, surrounded by a playful armature of illustrations, artifacts, numerous interactive media, and hands-on experiences. The South Gallery consists of an area for education surrounded by dense display, “Out of the Vault,” and spaces for changing exhibitions.
A high conservation case for the Library’s first folios is at its physical and intellectual epicenter of the gallery. Visitors access interactive media, diving deeply into content to find exciting facts that illuminate the unique quality of each folio’s 400-year history. The case is a tour-de-force of technical design embracing multiple layers of conservation and security, including VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection Activation), humidity/temperature control, Oddy-tested materials, dedicated supply and return ducted air, and multiple layers of security. Ambient and programmed lighting is in sync with media-driven content.
The gallery is “papered” in narrative graphics printed on 8.5″ by 11″ sheets. Tyvek, a product used primarily in construction, withstands touching, ripping, crunching, etc. Each is attached at the top, allowing a 3-dimensional, shingled effect. This audaciously textured environment holds stories about place and time while simultaneously backgrounding the collections. The display cases have minimalist detailing, powder-coated metal with desiccant chambers, and magnetic graphics that curators can easily change historical documents.
“Printing with Light” advances the Shakespearean narrative by allowing visitors to assemble phrases using facsimile blocks. This fun, accessible, and ageless experience clarifies a printing process that requires the intricate assembly of words seen upside down and backward.
The Folger, once seen as imposing, where audiences did not see themselves represented in either content or staffing, has now found a more racially and economically diverse local and regional audience, including African American residents and underserved communities. New gallery-based programs and events attract families, and ongoing programming has resulted in attendance far exceeding expectations. The interactive media moments are popular with all age groups.
Architects: Studio Joseph
Design Team: Monica Coghlan, Wendy Evans Joseph, Monica Coghlan, Ruben Gomez, Wonwoo Park, Alexandra Adamski, Brandon Studer, and Anthony Roy
General Contractor: Kubik-Maltbie Inc.
Client: Becker & Frondorf
Photographer: Naho Kubota
