Residents will have the opportunity to explore the life, works and times of William Shakespeare for free in 2025, as the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust have today (12/12/2024) announced that it will offer free admission to residents.
The charity responsible for caring and sharing for the buildings where William Shakespeare and his family lived has announced that from 2025 anyone living in the CV37 postcode will be able to visit the properties free of charge throughout the year.
Residents already have access to Shakespeare’s New Place for free and now will be able to enjoy Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage all year round at no charge.
This announcement is part of the Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that these much-loved properties remain at the heart of their communities.
“The Shakespeare story starts in Stratford-upon-Avon. This is the place that helped shape him, informed his life’s work and where he came home to. Though we are proud to share this story with visitors across the world, our local audiences are central to our future vision and welcoming residents across the year ensures the Shakespeare family homes are embedded within the life of the town.”
Said Interim CEO, Rachael North, who has been in post since October.
This significant change enables residents to take part in a host of activities throughout the year for no additional cost. From family-friendly events including Nurture in Nature at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and the multi-house family trail to artist-inspired workshops during Sundays at New Place, residents will be able to enjoy new experiences throughout the year. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust have confirmed that there are no limits on the number of times residents can visit throughout the year.
“With so much going on across the Shakespeare family homes throughout the year we hope residents return regularly to explore what is new and continue discovering new things about the Shakespeare story. It is always a wonderful opportunity for us to share what is going on across the wider estate, including our new Learning and Community Hub and other exciting developments.”
Continued Ms North.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust have created a new page on their website for residents, where they will share more information on the booking process for accessing resident tickets, including required ID, as well as sharing the latest news and events from the Trust that will be of interest to local audiences, including the conservation works at Hall’s Croft and the upcoming Community Days at Mary Arden’s Farm.
Residents go free across the Shakespeare family homes will begin from 1 February after the conservation period at both Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage ends.
For more information, please visit www.shakespeare.org.uk/residents.