Celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare: Reflecting on the Life of the Bard (March 2016 - February 2017)

Imagine our world without William Shakespeare (1564–1616). There would not be the body of work that he created—all of the plays and sonnets. There would not be all of the stage productions of his plays, the derivative popular works and there would not be a whole other body of literary study and analysis devoted to better understanding his timeless creations.  

As 2016 marks 400 years since William Shakespeare’s death we celebrate the Bard’s life and work with an exhibit that includes the First, Second, Third and Fourth Folios along with his Poems. Historical, religious, literary and scientific works that potentially influenced Shakespeare’s writing are presented as well. These significantly include Holinshed’s Chronicles, Bibles and the Book of Common Prayer, Plutarch’s Lives, Ben Jonson’s Works, and Foxes’ Acts and Monuments among others. 400 years later, we still enjoy the fruits of Shakespeare’s creativity. This exhibit commemorates what he gave humanity while reflecting on his life and times.