Stonyhurst Museum and Archives Department organised a special exhibition in July and August 2023, to celebrate exactly 400 years since the publication of the First Folio of William Shakespeare’s plays.
The focal point of the exhibition was Stonyhurst’s own copy of the original First Folio, of which only 235 copies survive.
Displays in the Museum and The Do room explored the history and stories of approximately 40 objects from our Museum and Archives, each of which has a unique link to plays that feature in the First Folio.
Also highlighted was the part played by the accrual at St Omers of Jesuit relics from all over the world which made a significant contribution to Jesuit drama there and subsequently influenced the dramatic performances for which Stonyhurst College has been so famous.
The exhibition was open to the public by advance booking on selected dates in July and August and a total of 652 people attended which was an 11% increase in numbers over the 2022 Summer Open Day Programme.
Many thanks are due to our dedicated team of Museum Volunteers without whom both the 2022 and 2023 Open Days would not have been possible.
