Tours
Guided tours of ballet and opera over 200 years in the making.
From behind-the-scenes explorations to immersive, themed experiences, discover the Royal Ballet and Opera like never before - from the hidden corners of our Covent Garden home to the craft workshops in Thurrock.
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. The day after your tour, you'll receive an email providing one month's access to RBOStream for £1.00.
Guided tours
- Tours
Step into the Spotlight: An exclusive on-stage Tour
See behind the scenes and learn how productions come to life with this rare opportunity to explore our Main Stage.
Behind the Scenes Tour
Discover the areas that are normally off-limits to the public, including rehearsal studios, costumes and production workshops.<
Divine Divas Tour
Explore opera’s divas, from Adelina Patti to Angel Blue—ambition, glamour and rivalry shaping operatic history.
Tea and Tour
Journey behind the scenes and dive into the history of Swan Lake on this ballet-themed tour, complete with an afternoon tea.
- Tours
Children's Alice in Wonderland Adventure Tour
Tumble down the rabbit hole and explore the world of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. For children aged 5-11 years.
Architecture Tour
Learn about the architecture of our world-famous Victorian theatre and its transformation over the centuries.
HerStory of the Royal Opera House
Immerse yourself in Royal Opera House history and stories through experiences of remarkable women who shaped its legacy.
Pride of the ROH
Explore the rich contributions made by the LGBTQ+ icons who have helped shape The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.
Thurrock Workshop Tour
Explore our craftspeople’s work on a tour of the Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop and Costume Centre in Thurrock.
For all tours 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.
Private and other language tours
With bespoke private tours tailored to you and your group, whether you're after an exclusive behind-the-scenes look or planning a one-of-a-kind proposal in the Royal Box, our expert guides will craft an unforgettable experience to match your vision.
Choose from a variety of custom packages, including multilingual tours, VIP access when the venue is closed to the public and personalised hospitality. Ideal for couples or small groups.
Let us bring your perfect Royal Opera House moment to life - get in touch today to start planning.
Schools Tours
Bring your student's learning to life with a look behind the scenes into a professional working theatre.
With an offer that can be flexibly adapted around particular areas of interest, get in touch to find out more about what we can deliver to compliment your curriculum.
Meeting Point
Royal Opera House
For tours taking place in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden the tours meeting point is on the ground floor, in front of the complimentary cloakroom.
Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop and Costume Centre, Thurrock
The meeting place for tours of the Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop and Costume Centre is The Barns.
Access
Our tours are between 60 and 75 minutes long and take you through many areas of the Royal Opera House, including long corridors, many stairs, escalators and lifts. Flooring throughout the building varies. Some floors are smooth and are tiled or wooden, and some are carpeted.
Because we are a working theatre, some areas will not 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 vision impaired visitors.
Please get in touch with us on tours@roh.org.uk after you book to let us know your access requirements so we can make sure you have the best experience on your visit. We can plan the tour if you require step-free and wheelchair access, if you need to use the hearing loop, borrow one of our wheelchairs or portable seats or make sure there are regular breaks throughout the tour.
Unfortunately, our hearing loops are not currently compatible with Bluetooth.
We provide all visitors with a headset which amplifies the voice of your tour guide. All our public tours are in English, but we do offer private tours which can be done in other languages including French, or Spanish.
TOUCH TOURS
Touch tours are dedicated access experiences offered to Access scheme members. Touch tours give you the chance to explore and feel the stage, set and props before a performance begins, giving further information and context of the production.
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)