Shakespeare library to reopen after $80M renovation

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The nation’s capital is home to the world’s largest Shakespeare collection, but most people have never seen it.

That changes Friday, June 21st when the Folger Shakespeare Library reopens to the public after an $80.5 million renovation during the past four years.

“This is a writer who we are not done with, and he is not done with us,” said Michael Witmore, the outgoing Folger director.

The library and theater on Capitol Hill houses 10,000 Shakespeare editions and nearly 230,000 printed books and thanks to the renovation, many are out of the vaults and displayed in public for the first time.

Visitors can see the new star of the gallery, Shakespeare’s “First Folio” from 1623. Without it, classics like “Macbeth” and “The Tempest” could have been lost.

“He wrote about race, about sexuality, about conflict,” Witmore said. “Those are questions and themes that we can take up today.”

That’s why Witmore said the library’s location is so important, not only in D.C. but also just two blocks away from the U.S. Capitol and U.S. Supreme Court.

“We are surrounded by the institutions where words matter most in this country,” he said.

Karen Ann Daniels, the theater’s artistic director, said the renovations allow her to bring Shakespeare’s words to life for younger and more diverse audiences.

“There’s kind of a whole new world that’s opened up,” Daniels said.

Witmore hopes the increased accessibility will help discover the next Shakespeare.

“They’re out there,” he said. “And the question for us is what will they want to see.”

Timed-entry passes are currently available and free on the Folger website , with a suggested donation of $15.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.