The Shakespeare Museum is to open in east London

The Shakespeare Museum has been completed and is scheduled to open in east London in 2025. The museum will display the archaeological remains of the Curtain Playhouse – the ancient theater where Shakespeare’s first performances are believed to have taken place Romeo and Juliet And Henry V. Just five minutes from Liverpool Street Station, the museum will be a new attraction in the heart of Shoreditch.

The Shakespeare Museum

(Image credit: Timothy Soar)

Images of the new Shakespeare Museum and the surrounding district of The Stage — The remains of the Curtain Playhouse

The remains of the Curtain Playhouse were uncovered during work on a mixed-use development project for the area, designed by architects Perkins & Will and aptly named The Stage.

First opened in 1577, the Playhouse was a vibrant cultural and social hub during Shakespeare’s lifetime and served as the primary venue for his plays before the Globe Theater came into being. The performances took place until 1624.

Following the archaeological discovery, the new neighborhood was redesigned to preserve and celebrate this historically significant site, which is now the focus of the project.

Images of the new Shakespeare Museum and the surrounding district of The Stage

(Image credit: Timothy Soar)

The museum’s design was influenced by the unusual rectangular shape of the ancient playhouse – the earliest known example of its kind in London. It features a spacious underground space that allows visitors to walk across glass viewing platforms at the level of the original stage.

The building appears to emerge from the ground with its gently flowing roof and outdoor amphitheater, blending into the surrounding plaza and buildings. The corrugated stainless steel facade is reminiscent of the folds of the stage curtains.

On the north facade of the museum, a bird-shaped cutout allows visitors to look into the museum room and see the ancient remains. The cutout is reminiscent of a bird-shaped ceramic pipe that was found during the excavations and was probably used for sound effects in the original Romeo and Juliet play. To highlight the significance of the discovery, a quote from Romeo and JulieA reference to a bird is engraved on the museum’s entrance wall, using original writing from Shakespeare’s First Folio.

Quote from Romeo and Juliet via the Museum of Shakespeare

A quote from Romeo and Juliet appears on the outside of the Museum of Shakespeare

(Image credit: Timothy Soar)

Developed by Cain International with joint venture partners McCourt, Galliard Homes, Vanke and Investec, The Stage transforms a previously inaccessible area into a vibrant public space. It introduces new pedestrian walkways, a landscaped plaza, an amphitheater, a small park and a play area on a restored Victorian railway viaduct. The project also includes office buildings, residential buildings, shops, restaurants and bars.

View of the stage from Curtain Road

(Image credit: Timothy Soar)

Sunand Prasad, Director at Perkins&Will, speaks about the significance of the project: “The Stage project is a great example of intelligent development of an urban district to create accessible, permeable and attractive spaces for people to use and enjoy.” Built Layers spanning several centuries, now repurposed, have been interwoven with extensive new, flexible mixed-use space around a public square to create the largest public space ever in Shoreditch. “The discovered remains of the 16th century Curtain Playhouse add a magical extra dimension to the creation of this new space for the busy neighborhood.”

perkinswill.com

topicnews · October 17, 2024

The Shakespeare Museum is to open in east London

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