Shakespeare’s Globe Unveils New Public Library and Archive
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Shakespeare's Globe Unveils New Public Library and Archive
- Shakespeare's Globe has officially opened its new Research & Collections Centre, featuring London's only publicly accessible dedicated Shakespeare library and archive with over 6,000 books.
- Designed by Allies and Morrison, the new facility also includes the John Wolfson Rare Book Room, housing nearly 500 original Renaissance texts from the 16th and 17th centuries.
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Shakespeare’s Globe officially opened its new Research & Collections Centre on September 24, 2026, creating London’s only dedicated Shakespeare library and archive that is fully open to the public. The new center, designed by Allies and Morrison, places research, scholarship, and public engagement at the core of Shakespeare’s Globe’s Bankside site.
The facility includes the Audre D. Carlin Reading Room, which provides access to more than 6,000 books covering Shakespeare, early modern literature, cultural history, and the history of dramatic performance worldwide. Visitors can also access Shakespeare’s Globe’s Performance Archive by appointment, which contains production records and recordings of performances, workshops, and events. A significant highlight of the new center is the John Wolfson Rare Book Room, which houses the Globe’s collection of original Renaissance texts. This collection comprises nearly 500 plays, poems, novellas, and historical works from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The development also features the Wolfson Lecture Theatre, a climate-controlled archive store, and the new Weston Foyer, where selected items from the organization’s artistic and institutional archives are displayed. Dr. Will Tosh, Director of Education at Shakespeare’s Globe, expressed pride in opening a new library at a time when arts and humanities are facing pressure, emphasizing the importance of libraries. Oliver Heywood, Director at Allies & Morrison, noted that the project ensures the Globe’s impressive collection, including early editions of Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Jonson, is properly cared for, accessible, and displayed. Appointments for the Audre D. Carlin Reading Room can be booked through the Shakespeare’s Globe website.