Oak Room in a Silver City: Shakespeare in Birmingham
The Library of Birmingham holds the first and the largest Shakespeare collection in any public library in the world, created with a radical mission to be ‘Everything to Everybody‘. So when better than on 23rd April Shakespeare’s Day to remember (and maybe visit?) the ‘almost forgotten’ Shakespeare Memorial Library’?
While the world turns its eyes toward the timber-framed streets of Stratford, those in the know should be heading to perhaps the Bard’s most breathtaking Oak tribute perched high above the Archival ‘Golden Box’ and iconic metal latice of the not so long ago top tourist attraction, Library of Birmingham!
A Victorian Masterpiece in a Modern Icon
Designed in 1882 by John Henry Chamberlain, this room was originally the “crowning glory” of the city’s Central Library. When that building was tragically demolished in 1974, the room was dismantled, piece by piece, and put into storage (and nearly forgotten). It was rediscovered and reassembled at the very top of the Library of Birmingham in 2013 – at the time an expensive and controversial decision, given the spiraling costs of the build.
Whatever your view on that, you can’t help be impressed at the intricate woodwork and ‘japanning’. Hand-carved oak bookcases featuring glass panels and Elizabethan-style marquetry. Carvings of birds, flowers, and foliage that represent the natural world. All that topped with a stunning vaulted roof, meticulously restored to show off its stenciling and gold leaf, to rival the fabulous view over our wonderful city from just outside.
Hear Here – Giving a Voice to the Archive
It’s a living part of Birmingham’s heritage cared for by it’s ‘Friends’ – a small dedicated group born after ‘Everything to Everybody‘ project brought the room to life . Many will remember our ‘Hear Here’ exhibition previously hosted in this space, along with countless others displayed here. A reminder that Shakespeare’s work isn’t just meant to be read behind glass—it is meant to be seen and heard. Joy and continuing resonance Shakespeare brings through his stories and in the case of Hear Here, characters like Ophelia -in stories that can be retold, and re-imagined, challenging adversity and celebrating women.
Don’t let Shakespeare’s Memorial Room creep into the silent, dusty archives and remain lived experience of Brummies. The Friends need your help to keep the Memorial Room a space of active listening, celebrating the Bard’s life and 400-year-old words a vital part of our modern city’s diverse voices.
“All the world’s a stage,” but today, the best seats in the house are on the ninth floor. Happy Shakespeare Day!
