Celebrating 400 Years of Shakespeare’s First Folio with limited display at Guildhall Library in London

The City of London Corporation will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first printed edition of William Shakespeare’s plays by displaying one of the earliest printed copies of his plays in Guildhall Library.  

The book will be showcased for a limited time of five hours only, on Monday, Apr 24, with a 10-minute talk every hour of the day, according to the Telegraph.

Experts consider the First Folio, as it is commonly known today, to be one of the most influential books ever written in the English language. Published in 1623, about seven years after Shakespeare’s death, the book saved half of his plays from being lost, including his most popular works like Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It.

Guildhall Library, owned by The City of London Corporation, is half-a-mile from Jaggard’s Print House, where the First Folio was printed. It’s also across the street from St Mary Aldermanbury Garden, where Shakespeare’s friends and fellow actors, John Heminge and Henry Condell, are buried and commemorated with a memorial to the book, featuring a bust of Shakespeare.

According to Dr. Peter Ross, the principal librarian at the library, The City of London Corporation owns one of the most pristine copies of the First Folio out of the 230 that still exist. It is also among the 90 that are still complete. He added that without Heminge and Condell’s collection, half of Shakespeare’s work would have been lost.

Wendy Hyde, the chair of The City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage, and Libraries Committee, expressed her pride in the library’s ownership of the book. She called the First Folio a truly remarkable book that has been conserved as a valuable heritage asset for the benefit of future generations. 

Visitors to the library will also have the opportunity to view two small and original copies of Henry IV Part One and Othello, along with a replica copy of the First Folio.

The limited five-hour display of the First Folio is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness one of the most influential books ever written in the English language. 

The opportunity is a must-see for Shakespeare enthusiasts. Visitors to the Guildhall Library will learn about the history of Shakespeare’s collection of plays and have the chance to view some of his most famous works, preserved for the benefit of future generations.