In honour of the birthday celebrations, the Birthplace visitor centre will open a new exhibition, Famous Beyond Words, in March, retelling the story of Shakespeare's development from Stratford local to world famous playwright, using artefacts from the museum's collection (such as the 1623 First Folio, the first published collection of Shakespeare's plays and the only reliable source for more than 20 of his works).

BBC: Following in the Bard��s footsteps �C literally

It is only three months since the fortuitous discovery of a lost Shakespeare First Folio in the French Biosphere Reserve of Saint Omer.

UNESCO: UK National Commission for UNESCO - Shakespeare in alcove: lost first folio returns to UK shores for first time in 500 years