Shakespeare's Globe Guided Tours

Highlights

• Step inside this faithful recreation of William Shakespeare’s iconic open-air Globe Theatre
• A guided tour inside the reconstructed theatre with traditional Elizabethan interior
• Expert guides will immerse you in Elizabethan drama
• Learn about the tumultuous history of the theatre

Inclusions

Please note:

• For groups of 15 people or more please contact our Groups Department ([email protected]) directly for a reduced rate.
• To collect your guided tour tickets please bring your printed voucher to the Box Office on New Globe Walk and staff will print your tickets.
• The Globe is a working theatre so occasionally tours will not be able to take place due to rehearsals/performances/events that won’t be listed on this website.
• Please make a note of the tours availability in the schedule tab.
• All people purchasing student tickets must have a valid ID with them.
• There is no access to the theatre during matinee performances.

Venue Information:
Shakespeare's Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT
Nearest Train Station: Blackfriars or London Bridge (10 minute walk)
Nearest Underground: Blackfriars, Mansion House, London Bridge (10 minute walk) Southwark & St Paul’s (15 minute walk)
Bus Routes: 11, 15, 17, 23, 26, 76

Golden Tours act as an official agent for these activities, as such you are subject to the terms and conditions of the supplier.

Description

Built in 1599, a turbulent past saw the Globe destroyed by fire in 1613. It was rebuilt on the same site a year later and then demolished by Puritans in 1642, who feared the theatre was an un-godly place that lured people away from the church. 

Rebuilt and reopened in 1997 approximately 230 metres from the original site is the Globe that stands today. It was a project founded by the actor Sam Wanamaker, father to actress Zoe Wanamaker who played Madam Hooch in the Harry Potter films. 

With expert guide-storytellers, discover the famous Globe Theatre auditorium and get a sense of what inspired Shakespeare to write some of his most famous plays. The guides will also recreate stories so you can picture what an Elizabethan theatre-going crowd would have been like. Raucous taverns selling ale and brothels would have lined the streets, and most theatre goers in the cheap standing tickets could be found in the ale houses prior to a show — a far cry from the civilised Shakespearean crowds we see today.

Your 2-hour experience will also explore how the ‘wooden O’ and candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse work today. Expect an interactive look at stagecraft and storytelling, live demonstrations, and a guided tour of the Globe Theatre.