Shakespeare's Schoolhouse & Guildhall

Discover where William Shakespeare was educated and inspired to become the world’s greatest playwright.

Winner of Best Visitor Attraction 2017
Coventry & Warwickshire Tourism & Culture Awards 2017

Step into Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall and immerse yourself in sixteenth century Stratford.  Sit in the very room that William Shakespeare sat as a pupil in the 1570s, visit the Council Chamber where his father served as Bailiff (Mayor) and experience the space where he first witnessed performances by the country’s greatest actors of the day. Participate in a Tudor Schoolroom lesson and brush up on your Latin!

As the place where William Shakespeare spent his school years and first experienced theatre, the Guildhall and Schoolroom has been described as “one of the most atmospheric, magical and important buildings in the whole of Britain” by historian and broadcaster, Michael Wood. 

Open daily, Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall attracts both national and international visitors who are able to explore Shakespeare’s childhood and youth in the building that tells the hither to missing chapter in the story of his time in Stratford – his education and the inspiration that led him to become the world’s greatest playwright. 

Major restoration and meticulous conservation work of the Guildhall, home to a series of rare medieval wall paintings, provides an extraordinary history of the building and of over 400 years of civic history of Stratford.

• Join in a Tudor school lesson
• Dress up Tudor-style for a “selfie”
• Play Tudor games and get messy with quill and ink
• Marvel at our medieval wall paintings
• Brush up on your Latin!

This interactive and engaging visitor experience, including soundscapes, projections, films, interpretive panels and knowledgeable guides on hand with many anecdotes to share, will bring to life the many stories the magical Guildhall has to tell and is perfect visit for all the family.