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Things to do

Bright ideas to help you make the most of your visit.

Nationla Theatre building exterior west side with flytowers and terrace balconies.

Take a guided tour

Journey behind the scenes to see what’s being made in our on-site workshops.

Led by one of our expert guides, you’ll explore the design and unique features of our renowned building.

Take a guided tour

A tour guide talking to a tour group in the Olivier theatre auditorium. The tour participants wearing orange high-visibility vests.
photo by Ludo des Cognets

Free exhibitions

A mixed media exhibition board lit in orange light

Linbury Prize for Stage Design exhibition

An exhibition featuring the work of the 12 emerging designers from across the UK who have been selected as the recipients of this year’s Linbury Prize for Stage Design

Runs to 30 March 2024, in the Lyttleton Lounge in our foyers.

Linbury Prize
A near abstract image of the National Theatre building in yellow, red, black and white oblongs.

Amelia Lancaster exhibition

View our building’s iconic architecture through a new lens in Amelia Lancaster’s debut solo exhibition.

Runs to Autumn 2024 in the Wolfson Gallery in our foyers.

Amelia Lancaster exhibition

Peek behind-the-scenes

The Sherling Backstage Walkway offers visitors views into our busy production workshops for set construction and assembly, scenic painting and prop-making.

Entry is completely free, and no booking is required.

Opens:
Monday–Saturday, one hour before performances start in the Dorfman Theatre.

Half-term, 12-17 February 2024
Monday-Wednesday: open from 12pm
Thursday-Friday: open from 6.30pm
Saturday: open from 12pm

A shot of the Sherling High Level walkway backstage at the National Theatre, a balcony overlooking the set and prop-making departments
A shot of the Sherling High Level walkway backstage at the National Theatre, a balcony overlooking the set and prop-making departments
A shot of the Sherling High Level walkway backstage at the National Theatre, a balcony overlooking the set and prop-making departments
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A shot of the Sherling High Level walkway backstage at the National Theatre, a balcony overlooking the set and prop-making departments A shot of the Sherling High Level walkway, with a blurred figure walking away, backstage at the National Theatre, a balcony overlooking the set and prop-making departments A shot of the Sherling High Level walkway backstage at the National Theatre, a balcony overlooking the set and prop-making departments, and with wall texts and video screen.
An image of a hand holding a mobile phone with the Bloomberg Connects app open. The app is showing an exhibition titled 'Explore backstage'

Download Bloomberg Connects

Explore behind the scenes at the National Theatre with an exclusive backstage tour or dive into our current exhibitions and learn more about our iconic building. For all this and more, download Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Bloomberg Connects provides access to museums, galleries, and cultural spaces around the world anytime through digital guides, content from artists, curators, and experts.

 

Download Bloomberg Connects

Visit the archive

Photo of a desk with a hand writing on a notepad and National Theatre programmes, including Atttempts on Her Life, and other indistinct objects.
Play Video
Play Video

Find some new creative inspiration, for free

Our Archive holds a treasure trove of material relating to theatre and performance, from props to prompt scripts, photographs to recordings, costume and more.

If that sounds like heaven to you, a visit is free and open to everyone by appointment.

Book your visit to the Archive

Browse our bookshop

Discover an unrivalled selection of play texts and specialist performing arts titles, as well as a carefully curated range of books and exclusive gifts.

Visit the Bookshop

Customers browsing in the plays section of the NationalTheatre Bookshop