In 1868, Birmingham was the first place in the world to open a public library dedicated to Shakespeare’s works and ideas. It is now one of the largest and most significant collections of Shakespeare-related material. The collection consists of more than 40,000 volumes, 17,000 photographs, 2,000 music scores,15,000 performance programmes, 10,000 playbills and a large collection of additional performance, academic and personal memorabilia relating to Shakespeare. Items are from all over the world and include over 100 languages; some date back 100s of years. 

The founders of the library believed that everyone, no matter what background they came from had the right to access books and learn about everything. This event continues that legacy, allowing you to see items close up and learn more about them. 

In a small group of no more than 20 visitors, volunteers from the Friends of the Shakespeare Collection will tell you about the origins of the Collection and about the selection items on display, chosen to illustrate the scope of the holdings. There will be time at the end of the tour for you to examine them more closely.

No food or drinks allowed in the Wolfson Room.

Organised by the Friends of the Shakespeare Collection