Architecture Tour
Architecture Tour
Architecture Tour
Learn about the architecture of our world-famous Victorian theatre and its transformation over the centuries.
Learn about the architecture of our world-famous Victorian theatre and its transformation over the centuries.
Learn about the architecture of our world-famous Victorian theatre and its transformation over the centuries.
If you have any access requirements for your tour, please contact tours@roh.org.uk after booking so we can deliver the necessary arrangements.
Looking to have this tour as private experience for you and your group? Or perhaps you need this tour run in a different language? We offer bespoke private tours to suit you. Find out more about booking private tours.
On the day of your tour, you will receive 10% off in the Royal Ballet and Opera Shop and Royal Opera House café. Simply show your tour ticket at the till, valid on the day of your tour. One week after your tour, you'll receive an email providing one month's access to RBOStream for £1.00.
Discover more tours, how to get to the tour venues and in-depth accessibility information.
Background
Explore the architectural evolution of the Royal Opera House, tracing its remarkable transformation through the ages. Discover the layers and years of development as you explore our public spaces, stages and backstage areas. You will discover how classical architecture interacts in a digital era and how the Royal Opera House has expanded and changed while retaining its original grandeur for almost 300 years.
Learn about the architectural process of set design, from concept to actualisation on stage and what it takes to make fantastic set pieces. Enjoy a photo opportunity on the famous 'Bridge of Aspiration' that connects The Royal Ballet School and the Royal Opera House. The building itself tells its 300 year story. Come and discover how the historic and the contemporary connect seamlessly to create an epic urban set piece which is as exhilarating as the action taking place on stage.
Come and discover how the historic and the contemporary connect seamlessly to create an epic urban set piece which is as exhilarating as the action taking place on stage.
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Important information about your tour
- The meeting point for this tour is the Ground Floor cloakroom of the Royal Opera House.
- Latecomers will not be admitted.
- As the Royal Opera House is a working theatre each tour provides unique experience and content may vary according to what spaces are available on the day. Though we will venture backstage. Access to the main auditorium is not guaranteed.
- Children aged 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of five are not allowed on our tours, this includes babies and children in pushchairs.
- We may be using headsets on our tours to amplify the voices of our guides so you don’t miss any information. All equipment is fully sanitised after each tour. You can use your own headphones if you wish. Please note headphones need to have a standard jack connection to be used with our devices.
- Contact-free bag checks will be in operation when you enter the building.
Access
This tour takes you through different areas of the Royal Opera House, including long corridors, stairs, escalators and lifts. The flooring is also different depending on where you are in the building – some floors are smooth and tiled or wooden, some are carpeted.
Because we are a working theatre, there are areas that won’t always be available to us, which means each tour will take a different route. The spaces we travel through can sometimes be busy and loud.
Our tour guides use descriptive language which helps to paint a picture for blind and partially sighted visitors.
Please get in touch at boxoffice@roh.org.uk after booking to let us know your access requirements so we can make sure you have the best experience on your visit. We can help plan the tour if you require step-free and wheelchair access, if you prefer to avoid areas with views from a height, if you need to use the hearing loop or if you need to take regular breaks. Unfortunately, our hearing loops aren't compatible with Bluetooth.
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Your donation will enable us to keep extraordinary work on our stages, inspire the next generation and support the Royal Ballet and Opera's community of artists, technicians and craftspeople.
For people, not profit. Making world class ballet and opera for everyone.
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