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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
4.5
Historic SitesArchitectural BuildingsTheaters
About
Founded by the pioneering American actor and director Sam Wanamaker, Shakespeare's Globe is a unique international resource dedicated to the exploration of Shakespeare's work and the playhouse for which he wrote, through the connected means of performance and education.Together, the Globe Theatre Company, Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition and Globe Education seek to further the experience and international understanding of Shakespeare in performance.
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Southwark
Even before the arrival of the instantly iconic Shard, the riverside scene in Southwark had moved well beyond any up-and-coming phase of development. For quite some time, locals and out-of-towners alike have loved browsing the boutiques of Bermondsey High Street, foraging through the bounteous stalls at centuries old foodie haven Borough Market, and flocking to the banks of the Thames to enjoy some of Britain's biggest attractions such as Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe. Despite Southwark's many popular draws, instant calm can be achieved easily by turning down almost any side street. For more urban buzz, a quick stroll across famed bridges like the pedestrianized Millennium Bridge or the ever photogenic Tower Bridge yields access to the very core of Central London. And with London Bridge Station as this neighborhood's main transportation hub, getting across town (or to anywhere in England for that matter) is a relative breeze.
How to get there
  • Mansion House • 7 min walk
  • Blackfriars • 7 min walk
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See what travelers are saying

  • Michelle1745
    Dallas, Texas95 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice overview of the building and theatre history
    We did the 1/2 hour tour of the Globe on a whim. It was very worth while. I wish I could remember our guide's name; he did an excellent job talking about the building and the history of the how theatre was preformed during Shakespeare's time.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 4, 2024
  • Susan S
    London, United Kingdom172 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience
    What an amazing tour. Our guide brought it to life with quotes from Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. He explained how the works evolved over time but I won’t say more, I don’t want to spoil it. The building is a beautiful reproduction of the original. I am now desperate to see a play there.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 15, 2024
  • brslNYC
    79 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don't miss the tour of the Globe Theatre!
    Seeing the Globe Theatre has been on our London to-do list for awhile and our visit this month did not disappoint. The tour guide, Cecily, was absolutely great, sharing her wide knowledge of Elizabethan London, Shakespeare, and the theatre itself in a very funny, entertaining way. The theatre, a reproduction of the original, is an amazing place, with its ornate stage, open air seating, and thatched roof. Definitely not to be missed. And the gift shop is very cool too! Tip: Probably the pleasantest and easiest way to get to the Globe is via the Uber Boat, which makes several stops in central London and then cruises downriver to the Bankside Pier, which is literally steps away from the theatre. Total travel time is 10-15 minutes, depending on where you board.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 19, 2024
  • isabel2023
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful journey into the past
    Yanette was my guide on this beautiful journey into the past. I loved the passionate way she spoke throughout the tour and the positive attitude she had in answering questions and guiding me along the way! Thank you so much for making this experience truly unforgettable.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 27, 2024
  • ABOLA
    Slough, United Kingdom7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice performance
    Our tour was led by an exceptionally pleasant guide who orchestrated an unforgettable journey. The experience seamlessly blended entertainment and education, surpassing our expectations despite our initial doubts. I wholeheartedly endorse this tour, rain or shine.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 29, 2024
  • sally1957
    London, United Kingdom37 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Globe tour
    On a lovely day my family and I went on a tour of the Globe. We had a marvellous guard who was jolly and informative. The museum was great. Easy to negotiate and understand. At the end we felt that we would like to watch a production in the future.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 5, 2024
  • Getaway56998209873
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    After a great tour with an awesome tour guide I'm looking forward to Summer and my return!
    Amazing experience. The tour guide was Michael (New Zealand) is an extremely friendly and knowledgeable person who made sure the tour was a pleasurable experience you'd never forget. Thank you Michael, you were fantastic!
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written March 25, 2024
  • nina b
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An amazing Education Group Shakespeare tour and workshop!
    Want to say a massive thank you to all the staff from admin, check-in, to our guide Jack, in regards to our KS3 Education workshop and tour today. Jack was fantastic even getting the most shy to participate in fun learning of Macbeth. Very friendly, professional staff, full of knowledge. Highly recommend and we will definitely be back for a show.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 27, 2024
  • Mildred D
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Guided tour
    We went on the guided tour and had a great time! Our guide, Mick, was very obviously passionate and knowledgeable on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre’s history. His insights into the processes used in performances from the past as well as current shows were very interesting and his quips and jokes were very fun and informative at the same time! I understand you can’t request a guide, but if possible, ask for Cockney Mick!
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 29, 2024
  • Gibbogibbone
    Montopoli in Val d'Arno, Italy321 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots of stuff...
    There are conflicting opinions on whether it was built on the foundations of the original or slightly moved. It remains something as unique as the Thames area that surrounds it. The Londoners' walk with the Thames as a side dish and the sunset to introduce you to a different and in some respects more beautiful London. A must. Absolutely worth seeing.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles9,237 reviews
Excellent
6,090
Very good
2,145
Average
590
Poor
218
Terrible
194

Tabeus
Newport, RI127 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
For all the effort that went into creating this spectacular replica, it is disappointing that you don't get much time to appreciate it. The only way to get in (other than to see a performance) is to take a tour, although I'm not sure you can call it a tour when there is only 1 stop. You meet your tour guide in the basement waiting area for an orientation of London in Shakespeare's time, then follow the guide into the Globe and sit in the gallery. Some Q&As and you're done. You get to stand briefly in the yard in front of the stage, and then you are ushered off to the gift shop. If there are actors rehearsing (as there were on this day) you are not permitted to take photos.

The "tour" is essentially just a way to control people in the theater, which I get, but it's a shame because as a result you get very little opportunity to really look around and no opportunity to explore. Still, it is very cool to see what the Globe was probably like, especially if you already have a connection to it. I think it would be a great experience to see a show here. For a visit, though, your best bet is really to disregard the tour guide and take in everything you see while you're there, because it won't be for long.
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris H
25 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Informative tour of The Globe Theatre made interesting by our leader, Mike. He kept us enthralled with stories of how performances were put on in Shakespeare's time. Most of the group had no idea of the origins of The Globe, or its restoration by the American actor, Sam Wanamaker. One North American visitor, who had not heard of Sam Wanamaker or other "famous" actors who had belonged to the Company, asked whether any had gone on to "become mainstream actors", to general groans from the rest of the party.
Would have been good to have seen some of the costumes, props etc.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bron-bird
Kitchener, Canada14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
We purchased tickets for a Shakespeare production months before the show. The weather was "iffy" with rain falling at the beginning of the production. Before the end of the show the ushers were providing sun visors. The quality of the production is worth the price of admission. Highly recommended.
Written January 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Redkitewatcher64
Andover, UK2,124 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Friends
Have visited the Globe on many occasions to watch plays so on this London visit we decided to take part on a tour to see behind the scenes. It didn't start very well by a very jobsworth man at the entrance saying we didn't have tickets just a voucher. After telling him several times this is what we had been sent and that we had been told we just had to show the email, he eventually checked to see our names on the booking list and let us in. It was quite a big tour group, maybe 30 people, and we were all given earphones so we could hear the guide. Actors were rehearsing on the stage and we were advised that we had to be quiet whilst walking around the building and could not take photos if the actors were there . We started the tour outside with a little of the history of the theatre and Shakespeare before moving to the groundlings section of the Globe before making our way up into the seating area. There were a lot of other groups on tours that day, maybe too many , and sometimes with all the guides and guests talking it was hard to hear the guide even with headphones. It felt like they were crowding in as many groups as possible as it was Easter holiday, However the information was very interesting and I learnt lots of new things about the theatre. Its not really a behind the scenes tour as you only visit where you would go as a ticket holder to a play, I had thought we might go behind the stage and see the costumes , props or even pay a visit to see the new indoor theatre. It is advertised as a 2hr immersive tour, but the actual tour itself is just 50 minutes . The last part is next to the gift shop after you have handed in your earphones so the poor guide has to shout over the noise of the theatre shop and other theatre visitors. We were then told that our tickets allowed us to go into the exhibition at any time on that day. We went straight away and had the exhibition to ourselves. For us there was too much writing/information on the walls , after reading a couple of paragraphs you wanted to move on, it seems a bit old hat in exhibitions nowadays. The best part of the exhibition was the hands on interactive displays, we loved trying on costumes ,and working out the sounds and smells from the props department . The cost of the tour which last year was ÂŁ17 for just the 50 minute tour , has now gone up to ÂŁ25 per person to include the museum tour . I am not sure its worth the increase and would have expected more behinds the scenes and seeing things that you would not normally see when visiting the Globe. Although we enjoyed it I was a little disappointed
Written April 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ben F
Auckland Central, New Zealand16 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
For the price tag of the tour, the experience was underwhelming. Our guide shared interesting stories and was able to answer several obscure questions from our group but tended towards promotion of the attractions creator too regularly.

It would have been good to see more of the theatre and particularly the inner workings and backstage area or have the opportunity to explore it independently.
Written January 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Wander & Wonder
Singapore, Singapore1,698 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Family
We turned left after crossing the Millennium Bridge and saw the Shakespeare Globe Theatre which is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse for which William Shakespeare wrote his plays in the London. The modern Globe Theatre is an academic approximation based on available evidence of the 1599 and 1614 buildings. It is considered quite realistic, though contemporary safety requirements mean that it accommodates only 1,400 spectators compared to the original theatre's 3,000. We did not go in as you have to buy tickets to get in.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew
Baltimore, MD640 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019
Pay extra for a good seat. I recommend the front row on the upper levels so you can lean against the railing. There aren't seat backs, so be aware that you'll have to sit up straight without any support like you did when you were a kid in school.

The stage is very barren and the plays performed here capture the spirit I imagine they had 400 years ago when they were being performed in Shakespeare's time. It's just actors on a stage, feeding on the reactions of the audience. No microphones, no screens. It's very cool.
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

montgomerieburns1
Petts Wood, UK74 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
A family day out with kids lead us back in time to Shakespeares Globe Theatre. After watching a demonstration of sword fighting we took the tour. Our guide was extremely informative and conveyed his knowledge with good humour. He took questions from the audience even when in mid stream and nothing phased him. A fantastically well built new version of what probably stood on the bank of the Thames.
Totally enthralled by the whole experience so much so that we are going back to watch a play in the open air theatre in April and can’t wait
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lilly S
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
The tour began on time, and the tour guide, Michael, was very fun, energetic and informative. It was a great experience! Afterwards, we went to a play at the Sam Wanamaker indoor theater and saw the play Swive. It was worth the price. The actors did a splendid job and the staff was always courteous and patient with theater goers.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

richard m
Whitchurch, UK116 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Unique theatre in this day and age, marvellous that this building can be operated in the centre of London with London city centre costs. Nevertheless Shakespeare will always be an attraction and it should continue for a long time. Our guide was an actor himself and loved to express himself in a theatrical way whilst describing about the building and its history. Worth the money and a unique experience, only need an hour at the most.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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