Folger Shakespeare Library Museum

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. The Landmark structure houses a Shakespearean theater, gathering spaces, libraries, and archives. FSL has one of the world’s most extensive collections of William Shakespeare’s printed works and the largest number of First Folios. Yet, while scholars saw these important books and manuscripts, there was virtually no public access or programming. Education and outreach were the driving forces behind an extensive building renovation and galleries that are free to the public. 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.

Agency

Practice Area

Client

Folger Shakespeare Library

Industry

The Challenge

The challenge was to create an exciting visitor experience that would bring Shakespeare to all through works on paper, while adhering to the highest conservation requirements. Given that virtually all the collections on display are works on paper, this meant controlling temperature and humidity, light levels, and presentation methods. But while this required creativity and technical know-how, the display of the 82 First Folios became the tour-de-force of the conservation responsibility. This challenge inspired new methods of interpretation so that everyone feels not just welcome but valued.

Project Vision

There are two main galleries entered from the primary entry. The North Gallery is a core 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 houses an education area surrounded by dense display, “Out of the Vault,” and a space for changing exhibitions.

Two subterranean galleries at the Folger Shakespeare Library showcase Shakespeare’s life and legacy. The South Gallery features rotating exhibits, a community space, and east and west entrances.

Studio Joseph

“Printing with Light” lets visitors create phrases using facsimile blocks, offering a fun, accessible experience that demystifies the printing process, where words are assembled upside down and backward.

Naho Kubota

Design + Execution

A high conservation case for the Library’s first folios is at the physical and intellectual epicenter of the gallery. Visitors access interactive media, diving deep into the content to uncover exciting facts that illuminate the unique qualities of each folio’s 400-year history. Who owned the folio? What marks did they leave? The case is the result of a highly technical design that embraces 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 are in sync with media-driven content. There is an interactive that lets visitors open the folios to see what makes each special and learn fun facts about their history. Each visitor can look inside to find their connection to Shakespeare.

The gallery is “papered” in narrative graphics printed on 8.5″ by 11″ sheets. Tyvek, a product primarily used in construction, withstands contact, ripping, crushing, and other forms of abuse. Each leaf is attached at the top, allowing a shingled effect. This audaciously textured environment holds stories told over place and time while simultaneously backgrounding the collections. The displays draw visitors into the fascinating but often obscure realm of historical documents.

“Printing with Light” brings the Shakespearean narrative to life, allowing visitors to assemble phrases from facsimile blocks. As a fun and ageless experience, it clarifies a printing process that requires the intricate assembly of words written upside down and backward. “Shake up your Shakespeare” is a stage set for a verbal battle of quotes demonstrating how Shakespearean language was playful, romantic, and charged at once; although the vocabulary may feel foreign, the breadth of human emotion resonates today

The gallery features narrative graphics on curling Tyvek sheets, creating a textured environment. These stories immerse visitors in the fascinating, often obscure world of historical documents, maps, and cultural artifacts.

Naho Kubota

The gallery features narrative graphics on curling Tyvek sheets, creating a textured environment. These stories immerse visitors in the fascinating, often obscure world of historical documents, maps, and cultural artifacts.

Naho Kubota

At the gallery’s center, a high conservation case displays 83 first folios. Two media-driven experiences flank the case, offering interactive content about ownership, marks, and syncing lighting with storytelling.

Naho Kubota

Flanking the case are two physio-digital interactive experiences that are illustrated and easily legible. They tell the story of how the folios were printed and Shakespeare’s creative process.

Naho Kubota

The gallery’s center features dense displays, video projections, and hands-on experiments. Visitors engage in docent-led or self-guided activities around a table, fostering community learning with synchronized archival materials and projections.

Naho Kubota

Visitors look closely into the narrative graphics composed by graphic sheets. The Foger creates different searches that are playful and engaging.

Studio Joseph

Narrative graphics encourage close looking. Shakespeare’s time come to life though his folios, maps, images, and other storytelling motifs.

Studio Joseph

  1. Low light and specialized casework preserve rare ancient documents and Renaissance books, while the graphic armature creates a welcoming experience.

    Micheal Moran

  2. The South Gallery features rotating exhibits, a community space, and east and west entrances.

    Studio Joseph

  3. “Printing with Light” lets visitors create phrases using facsimile blocks, offering a fun, accessible experience that demystifies the printing process.

    Naho Kubota

  4. The gallery features narrative graphics on curling Tyvek sheets, creating a textured environment. These stories immerse visitors in the fascinating world of historical documents.

    Naho Kubota

  5. At the gallery’s center, a high conservation case displays 83 first folios. Two media-driven experiences flank the case, offering interactive content about ownership.

    Naho Kubota

  6. Flanking the case are two physio-digital interactive experiences that are illustrated and easily legible. They tell the story of Shakespeare’s creative process.

    Naho Kubota

Project Details
The project embraces the challenge of making centuries-old stories resonate with today’s modern audiences through the careful blending of artifacts with technological innovation in a visually compelling and experientially wondrous way.
Juror 1
As a jury, we discussed this project intently. As one of the Brits in the group, who had to learn Shakespeare at school I was particularly struck by how the designers managed to demystify him and his work. Shakespeare can be incredibly intimidating – there was a generosity to the design that seemed to reflect the original gift by its Founders: Henry Clary Folger and his wife, Emily Jordan Folger. Well done making Shakespeare fun!
Juror 2
Design Team

Wendy Evans Joseph (principal)
Monica Coghlan (director of design)
Ksenia Dynkin (interpretive strategy)
Charlotte Kasper (research)
Ruben Gomez (designer)
Wonwoo Park (designer)
Daniel Toretsky (designer)
Shuo Yang (designer)
Alexandra Adamski (designer)
Brandon Studer (graphic designer)
Anthony Roy (graphic designer)
Dominique Jean Louis (interpretation)
Shriya Sanil (designer)
Chris Spadazzi (technical design for casework)

Collaborators

Becker & Frondorf (planning)
Bluecadet (media design)
Kieren Tiberlake Architects (architecture)
Kubik Maltbie (fabrication)
Olin (landscape architecture)
Storythings (interactive concepting)

Photo Credits

Naho Kubota (photography, videography)

Open Date

October 2024

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