Folger Shakespeare Library offers a Capitol Hill museum outing built around books, performance, and the people who reshape familiar stories. Its upcoming exhibition To Hear Her Speak, subtitled Black Women and Shakespeare, runs from October 16, 2026, through May 2, 2027. Free gallery admission makes it an approachable addition to a DC day for readers, theatergoers, and visitors curious about cultural history.
Black Women’s Work Gives Shakespeare a Wider Frame
Curated by Folger Institute Director Patricia Akhimie, the exhibition connects Black women’s engagement with Shakespeare across more than four centuries. According to the Folger, nearly 100 objects include costumes, books, diaries, photographs, and playbills.
Among the specific works are Toni Morrison’s handwritten notes for Desdemona and a playbill from Maya Angelou’s Macbeth production at Wake Forest University. These objects give visitors concrete ways to follow the links among literature, scholarship, and the stage.
Listening Adds Another Layer to the Gallery Visit
The official To Hear Her Speak page lists an audio guide narrated by actor and director Adjoa Andoh, with contributions from Akhimie and other scholars. Bring headphones and use the Folger’s free Wi-Fi to listen while viewing the objects. A limited number of devices will also be available to borrow. The show was included in Hyperallergic’s fall DC art guide, giving visitors another source for planning a broader season of gallery visits.
Leave time for the Great Hall and Quill & Crumb, the Folger’s café serving lunch, baked goods, coffee, and tea. A gallery pass is not required for the café or shop, so the building can also work as a brief neighborhood stop.
The Folger is at 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Gallery admission is free, with a recommended $15 donation per person.
To carry the conversation from objects to live performance, continue with our review of Folger Theatre’s Measure for Measure.
