About us
What we do
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is the independent charity that cares for some of the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage in his home town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is the global centre for learning about and experiencing the works, life and times of the world’s best-known writer. Through the five historic Shakespeare family homes, internationally designated museum collections, award-winning learning programmes and digital channels, we provide imaginative, immersive and interactive opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to get up-close-and-personal with Shakespeare.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is a self-sustaining charity which generates its income through the support of visitors, donors, volunteers and Friends. In April 2018 it was granted National Portfolio funding from Arts Council England for the first time, enabling new creative and outreach programmes with a particular focus on communities which are currently less engaged in arts, culture and heritage.
Our History
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust was formed in 1847 following the purchase of Shakespeare’s Birthplace as a national memorial. The Trust now cares for the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage sites - the five beautifully preserved homes and gardens directly linked to Shakespeare and his family in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Together, Shakespeare's family homes form an iconic destination in the UK which has been attracting visitors from around the globe for centuries. Today, a tour of these houses takes you on a natural journey through Shakespeare's life from his birth at the house on Henley Street, to his mature family home and eventual death at Shakespeare’s New Place.
World Class Collections
At the heart of all things Shakespeare, the Trust holds the world’s largest Shakespeare-related library, museum and archives open to the public, with over 1 million documents, 55,000 books and 12,000 museum objects. We also care for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s archive of theatre records, as well as an extensive local history archive of Stratford-upon-Avon and South Warwickshire, with records dating back to the twelfth century.
Our collections have been designated as being of international importance. They are accessible to the public in our historic homes, via our our online catalogue or by visiting the Reading Room at the Shakespeare Centre here in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Our Images
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has an extensive collection of museum objects, books, and treasured documents within its archives. Additionally, we possess a considerable assortment of theatre performance photographs. All these items are predominantly associated with the works, life, historical context, and birthplace of William Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Given the delicate nature and limited accessibility of many of these items, we diligently undertake the task of digitising these precious artifacts, ensuring that they are made available to the public.
This website curates a selection of visually captivating items that have recently undergone the highest quality digitisation process. They can be downloaded in low-resolution for personal, non-commercial use. However, for more extensive applications such as inclusion in books, e-books, printed media, exhibitions, film and television productions, or commercial design projects (brand licensing), we offer the option to license our high-resolution images.
Our comprehensive digital service facilitates an efficient and user-friendly experience, enabling you to search, order, and download images directly from our website. Please feel free to contact us directly to ask for our assistance in this process.
Upon registration, you will gain access to the "Lightbox" tool, a feature that allows you to curate and share your own image collections tailored to your future projects or sources of inspiration.
Despite our continuous efforts to expand our digitised collection, it is important to note that there is a substantial number of items in our care that have yet to be photographed or scanned. If you have been unable to locate a specific item of interest, we encourage you to explore our 'Discover Shakespeare' website, where we meticulously catalogue our holdings. Additionally, we offer digitisation services for a small fee should you require that. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email if you require any guidance during your search. Our email address is: images@shakespeare.org.uk
For more detailed information regarding the search, ordering, and downloading processes and the terms of use of our images, we invite you to visit our comprehensive 'Frequently Asked Questions' pages.
Brand Licensing
We work with our licensing partners to discover and re-imagine the world of Shakespeare in new and exciting ways: from herbs and flowers, cookery and crafts, through to unique objects, rare books and the words that have inspired the world for over 400 years.
We have created the ‘Shakespeare Inspired’ brand to develop a range of products that reflect the Trust’s values, expertise and collections. Our brand packaging designs have a distinctive, contemporary look and feel, and draw inspiration directly from the treasures in our care. A copy of our style guide is available on request.
In turn, the royalties we receive from the sale of licensed products support the vital care and conservation of the Shakespeare houses and collections and help us to inspire a passion for Shakespeare in people around the world.
Our current partners include:
Brand Packaging Solutions, George Pragnell, Iron Gut Publishing, OMAS, the Roberto Group, Royal Crown Derby and the Royal Mint.
To find out more about working with us please get in touch via our contact form.
Press & Media Images
We curate images for editorial use about our houses and events. Some of these images have restricted access and we can grant permission to view and download them. For details please get in touch with our Press Office by emailing pressinfo@shakespeare.org.uk . To request images or video content, please provide details of your project and how the image will be used.
If you have a media enquiry, would like expert commentary on Shakespeare's works, life and times, please also contact the press office at the above e-mail address.
We accommodate filming and photographic shoots whenever possible, within the constraints of the historic properties and public visiting times. If you would like to arrange filming or photography at any of our sites, please complete our filming request form and return it to pressinfo@shakespeare.org.uk. A minimum of 10 working days' notice is required to confirm a booking.