Industry News

For the first time in over a decade Durham University’s edition of William Shakespeare’s First Folio will be on display as the centrepiece of a new Shakespeare Recovered exhibition.

The priceless book was stolen while on display in the University’s Cosin’s Library, on Palace Green in Durham City, in 1998. It reappeared 10 years later at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C., USA, badly damaged, and with its cover and some pages missing.

It was returned home to Durham in 2010, and an individual was subsequently tried and jailed for handling stolen goods – but the story did not end there.

Shakespeare Recovered explores what happened next and how Durham’s edition of this iconic book continues to inspire learning and debate.

The exhibition returns the Folio to the historic setting of Cosin’s Library. It chronicles cutting-edge analysis and conservation work to preserve the book, and debate over whether it should be rebound.

The First Folio, published in 1623, was the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays. Amongst the 36 plays included are 18 plays, such as Anthony and Cleopatra, Macbeth and The Tempest, that had not previously been published. Without the First Folio, these works may well have been lost to history.

Stuart Hunt, Director of University Library and Collections and University Librarian, Durham University, said: “Shakespeare’s First Folio is a literary wonder of the world, but only Durham’s First Folio can tell such a unique and powerful story.

“Having been at the centre of an international theft and recovery, Durham’s First Folio is truly exceptional.  The vandalism it sustained left the Folio extremely vulnerable. But with this comes an opportunity to closely examine an iconic object in new ways and discover more about Shakespeare’s world and legacy.

“Shakespeare Recovered returns the Folio to Cosin’s Library, its home since 1669 and the place from where it was stolen all those years ago. The exhibition celebrates everything we have been able to learn from it through expert curation and technological advances.”

Visitors to the exhibition will get the chance to see this important cultural artefact as never before.

The damage that the book sustained during its missing years means that multiple pages can be viewed side by side, allowing details to be compared and understood. It is also possible to see evidence of the original binding, giving unique insight into book production in the 1600s.

Meanwhile advances in technology mean that conservators have been able to use new tools to explore the book in ways not possible when it was recovered.

Visitors will see how these modern-day technologies, including spectroscopy – the precise study of colour – and infrared imaging are revealing hidden secrets within the book, including centuries-old doodles. They can also step into the shoes of Durham University’s conservation team, using an interactive game to explore the various conservation options for the Folio.

Hand-made replicas of the First Folio, showing how it would have looked in the 1600s will also be available for visitors to enjoy.

Since its return in 2010 Durham University’s expert curators have worked to preserve the historic value of the book and find ways to make it safely accessible for future generations.

Tony King, Senior Collections Care and Conservation Manager, at Durham University, said: “While the vandalism of the Folio is tragic, its current condition reveals parts of the book that would otherwise be hidden.

“We’ve used cutting-edge heritage science to explore this cultural masterpiece in new ways, deepening our understanding of it.

“From the sewing threads on the spine, to newly discovered doodles from hundreds of years ago, Durham’s First Folio continues to reveal new stories and insights.”

Durham’s First Folio was originally purchased by Bishop John Cosin in the 1620s and added to his library in Durham in 1669.

Whilst around 750 copies were originally printed, only 235 are known to have survived. Each is unique, which made confirmation of the identity of the stolen Durham copy possible.

Developments in exhibition facilities have made it possible to safely display the First Folio in Cosin’s Library.

The exhibition will run from 4 April – 2 November 2025 at Palace Green Library in Durham. It will be open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00-16:00.

Tickets for Shakespeare Recovered are free but advanced booking is strongly recommended due to the limited capacity of the library space.

Tickets can be booked online and are being released on a rolling seven-weekly basis.