Attractions
Hidden-in-plain-sightLibrary of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building
FreeThe world's largest library, and arguably DC's most beautiful interior, the Great Hall, the Main Reading Room, and a Gutenberg Bible.
Photo: Julie Ainsworth, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
MuseumsHistory BuffRainy-Day PickFree
Folger Shakespeare Library
201 East Capitol St SE · Washington, DC
Why you should go…
The Folger on Capitol Hill holds 82 copies of the 1623 First Folio and opened in 1932 in a white marble building by Paul Philippe Cret, carved with scenes from Shakespeare's plays. A renovation finished in 2024 added two exhibition halls where you can see manuscripts, paintings and costumes from the collection. It is free to visit, with pay-what-you-will timed passes offered for guaranteed entry. There is also a theatre, a cafe called Quill & Crumb and gardens.
- #shakespeare
- #library
- #rare books
- #theatre
- #capitol hill
Good to know
General museums guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Check the special exhibition separately
Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.
Look for the free window
Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.
Travel light through the door
Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.
Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons
School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Folger Shakespeare Library, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
Right next doorSwitch it up: Attractions
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Supreme Court of the United States
FreeClimb the marble steps under the words Equal Justice Under Law, then explore exhibitions and hear a Courtroom Lecture inside.
Steps awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
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U.S. Capitol & Capitol Visitor Center
FreeFree guided tours under the Rotunda's frescoed dome, the heart of American democracy, up close.
0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
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National Museum of the American Indian
FreeExplore Native cultures of the Western Hemisphere inside a curving limestone building on the National Mall, with a Native foods cafe.
0.7 mi awayMore like this
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Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
FreeTouch a moon rock and stand under the Spirit of St. Louis at the world's most-visited aviation museum, always free.
0.9 mi awayMore like this
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National Gallery of Art
FreeDa Vinci, Vermeer, and the Impressionists for free, plus a sculpture garden that becomes an ice rink in winter.
0.9 mi awayMore like this
