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Shakespeare's Globe

Shakespeare's Globe on Bankside is both a working theatre and a reconstruction of the open-air playhouse associated with Shakespeare's company. You can experience it in two very different ways: take a daytime guided tour to understand the building and 1599 theatre culture, or attend a live performance and see how the “wooden O” works with an audience around three sides of the stage.

Last updated: August 2026 · Written by the Totally London Online Team. Tour, performance, access and visitor information below was checked against current Shakespeare's Globe guidance. The Globe Theatre is open-air, performances and tours run in changing weather, and schedules vary daily.

Tour or performance: which should you choose?

Choose a guided tour if you care most about history, architecture and how the reconstructed theatre works. Tours are around an hour and are easier to fit into a daytime Bankside itinerary. Choose a performance if you want the authentic reason the building exists: actors, daylight, audience reaction and the unusual relationship between stage and yard.

If time and budget allow, do both. The tour explains details you may miss during a show, while the performance transforms the theatre from an architectural replica into a living space.

The Globe is a reconstruction, not the original theatre

The present Globe opened in the 1990s near, but not directly on, the site of the original 1599 playhouse. It was built using historical research, traditional materials and design principles intended to evoke Shakespeare's theatre while meeting modern safety requirements.

This distinction makes the story more interesting, not less. A tour explores what scholars know, what builders had to infer and how the reconstruction became an experimental performance space rather than a frozen museum.

Globe Theatre guided tours

Official guided tours bring visitors into the auditorium and explain the original 1599 theatre, Shakespeare's London and the process of rebuilding the Globe in the twentieth century. Standard tours are roughly one hour, with routes affected by rehearsals, performances and technical work.

Pre-booking is strongly recommended because the theatre is operational and tour capacity is limited. A tour can look different from one day to the next; seeing technicians or rehearsal activity is often part of the appeal rather than a disruption.

The exhibition

The Globe also operates an exhibition exploring Shakespeare, performance practice and the craft behind productions. Exhibition access is bundled with or available around selected tours and events, depending on the current product. Temporary closures occur for operational reasons, so check your booked date rather than assuming all visitor spaces are always open.

If your tour is late in the day, confirm whether you need to see the exhibition first. The Globe specifically warns that later tour times can require exhibition entry before the tour begins.

Seeing a play as a Groundling

Standing in the yard is the most distinctive Globe experience. Groundlings stand directly in front of and around the stage, close to performers and exposed to the weather. In summer 2026 some productions list standing tickets from £10 and £5, and the Globe also runs selected £5 Rush releases.

It is excellent value but physically demanding. You may stand for two to three hours, there is no roof above the yard, and leaving your spot can change your view. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for sun or rain.

Seated tickets

Gallery seats give you elevation and some shelter, though the open-air design means wind and rain can still reach parts of the auditorium. Traditional bench seating is part of the experience; cushions and seat backs can be hired, which is worth considering for a long Shakespeare production.

Seat prices vary widely by production and location. Look at the exact view and level during booking rather than assuming a higher gallery is automatically worse — the Globe's compact vertical design gives many seats an excellent relationship with the stage.

2026 performance example and pricing

The 2026 programme changes through the season. As one current example, Much Ado About Nothing lists seated gallery tickets from roughly £28 up to £88 and standing places at £10 or £5, with a running time around two and a half hours including interval. Other productions have their own prices and durations.

Use those figures only to understand the range. The official What's On page is the authoritative source for your date, and popular summer performances can sell well ahead.

Weather: the Globe really is open-air

The Globe Theatre has no roof over the central yard and performances continue in most weather. Standing audiences can be in direct sun or rain; seated areas are more protected but not sealed from the elements. The Globe sells rain ponchos and practical comfort items, but clothing is your responsibility.

Check the forecast and dress in layers. An umbrella is not a practical solution during a performance because it blocks other people's views.

The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

Shakespeare's Globe also contains the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, an indoor, candlelit-style theatre inspired by seventeenth-century playhouses. It is a separate performance space with a very different atmosphere from the open-air Globe.

When booking, verify which theatre your production uses. Visitors sometimes imagine every Globe-branded show occurs in the famous outdoor auditorium.

Accessibility

The site provides ramps and lifts to support wheelchair access, and the Globe asks tour visitors to state physical access requirements during booking because tours may otherwise use multiple flights of stairs. Touch Tours, BSL interpretation and other access provisions can be discussed with the access team.

Assisted performances are programmed for productions, and the site has a quiet space in the upper foyer when available. If a particular adjustment is essential, arrange it ahead rather than relying on same-day availability.

Cloakroom, facilities and cashless payments

The Globe operates a cloakroom when possible, currently charging around £2.50 per item. The site has toilets, baby-changing facilities and water-refill points. It is cashless, so bring a card or contactless payment method.

Travel light for a standing performance. Managing a bulky coat or bag in the yard is uncomfortable even if it meets entry rules.

How early to arrive

Arrive at least 20–30 minutes before a performance and in good time for tours. Late admission cannot always be guaranteed once an event has begun. Groundlings in particular benefit from arriving early enough to enter calmly and choose a position rather than racing into an already full yard.

Use extra time to walk Bankside or look at the exterior rather than cutting arrival to the minute.

Getting there

The address is 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT. Blackfriars, London Bridge and Southwark are useful rail/Underground options depending on your route. Bankside Pier is only metres away and river services provide a scenic alternative.

Walking from Tate Modern takes only a few minutes, while the Millennium Bridge connects Bankside with St Paul's Cathedral.

Best nearby combinations

The classic sequence is St Paul's, Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern and the Globe. Continue east for Borough Market if you want food before an evening performance. This works because nearly everything is walkable along the Thames.

For a performance night, avoid exhausting yourself with too many museums first. Standing for a full play is far more enjoyable if your legs have not already done 20,000 steps.

Families and first-time Shakespeare

The Globe can be an excellent introduction to Shakespeare because actors perform to a visible, responsive audience rather than behind a proscenium arch. Families should check running time, content guidance and standing suitability for the particular production.

Family-focused tours and activities also appear in the programme. For younger children, a one-hour tour may be a better first experience than a long evening tragedy.

Bring as little as possible. A small water bottle, payment card and weather layer are enough for most performances. The site sells or hires cushions, seat backs, blankets and ponchos, so seated visitors can improve comfort without carrying bulky gear around London all day.

For the open-air Globe, dress for the actual forecast rather than the season. A summer evening can become cool once the sun drops, while a sunny matinee can feel exposed in the yard. Lightweight waterproof layers are more useful than umbrellas, which would block sightlines. Comfortable shoes are essential for standing tickets.

What to wear and bring

The audience is part of the performance culture. Actors may address Groundlings directly, and reactions travel visibly through the yard. That energy is the strongest reason to stand rather than choosing a conventional seat. It can feel unusually immediate, social and unpredictable.

There is no single perfect yard position. Close to the stage gives intensity and eye contact but can make it harder to see action staged deeper or higher. A little farther back gives a broader composition and more breathing room, while side positions can be excellent when actors use the whole thrust stage. If you are short, arriving early matters more than chasing a mythical best spot.

Where to stand as a Groundling

Common mistakes to avoid

Sources and references

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