The Great Hall of the Folger Shakespeare Library used to be a dark space, its tall windows covered to prevent damage to the rare books and documents on display there. The Hall, and the adjacent Folger Theatre, were the only parts of the building to which the public had access, and neither was terribly inviting. Crowds thronged the small, cramped hallway leading to the theater during intermission and despite a regular schedule of first-rate exhibitions, the Great Hall was often empty, and funereal.
Today, the light floods in, illuminating the Great Hall’s intricate wood paneling, the ornate plaster ceiling and the two curious seals – an eagle for the United States and the coat of arms of Elizabeth I – above the doors. After a more than four-year renovation and expansion, the Folger now has designated exhibition space with carefully regulated lighting underground, and the Great Hall will be used …