Museum of Shakespeare will transport groups back in time

Set within the archaeological remains of The Curtain Playhouse in Shoreditch, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in Elizabethan London to learn about the life and inspiration behind the playwright’s work.

Located three metres underground, the museum experience will include original objects from the 16th century alongside multi-sensory experiences. It is due to open in the summer of 2025.

It’s said that visitors will be able to soak up the sights, smells, sounds and people that inspired Shakespeare’s plays, and have the chance to take to the stage where the Bard presented shows like Romeo & Juliet and Henry V.

The Curtain Playhouse hosted a variety of things in Shakespearean England, from plays to fencing matches. An archaeological excavation of the site from 2011 to 2016 revealed the remains of the theatre, with the Museum of Shakespeare making the site available to the public for the first time.

Heather Knight, senior archaeologist at Museum of London Archeology said: “Leading the excavations on the site of the Curtain, one of London’s earliest and longest-lived playhouses that transformed our understanding of Early Modern performance, has been an immense privilege and I am very much looking forward to the next chapter in the history of The Curtain when the Museum of Shakespeare opens its doors.”

Immersive experiences, technology and archaeological discoveries will help to illustrate the period.  Standing above the remains of the stage, visitors will be surrounded by a projected reconstruction of the Playhouse, whilst AI technology will place groups in animated performances.

Workshops will also be available for visitors to take part in and express their creativity. Once open, the museum will be able to facilitate groups, with plans currently being developed.