Renovated Royal Opera House Opens In London’s Covent Garden

A new visitor destination opens in the heart of London’s Covent Garden

This week, London welcomes a new visitor destination to the heart of iconic Covent Garden. The world-renowned Royal Opera House, a Grade 1 listed building, has undergone a transformative £50.7m renovation and for the first time in its history will be open every day from 10am, welcoming visitors to a new café, restaurant, bar, shop and free and ticketed events in its public spaces throughout the day.

The three-year refurbishment has been designed to welcome thousands of UK and international visitors through the Royal Opera House’s historic doors, to experience elegant, newly-created spaces brought alive with a year-round daytime programme of events, activities and festivals, which give a taste of the inner workings of London’s famous Royal Opera House. From workshops demonstrating the magic of backstage theatre crafts, to guest artist performances and immersive events, the Royal Opera House offers a new visitor destination for tourists from the UK and beyond.

The Royal Opera House's redesigned Linbury Theatre

The multi-million-pound refurbishment also launches a new shopping proposition in the heart of Covent Garden. A new, contemporary destination shop is curated with products that celebrate the craftsmanship of the Royal Opera House, unveiling new partnerships with pioneering young designers and heritage brands. The product ranges present a beautiful array of merchandise designed by imaginative new producers.

The Royal Opera House's redesigned Linbury Theatre

The Royal Opera House’s main auditorium was designed in1858 by E.M. Barry. The building’s major new transformation, designed by award-winning architects Stanton Williams, unites 19th-century grandeur with 21st-century elegance. The stunning renovation also offers new front-of-house exhibitions, which will include spectacular costumes charting some of the most famous onstage episodes in the history of The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

 Royal Opera House new exterior

The Royal Opera House also continues to offer oue much-loved backstage tours. These provide intriguing insights into the world behind the stage, and give an exciting overview of the backstage areas, including costume and lighting workshops. There’s also a chance to see The Royal Ballet in rehearsals in their iconic dance studios. These popular tours take you into history to discover more about the Royal Opera House and the legends of London’s theatre land, as you hear stories about the people that have danced, acted and sung, and the performances that have taken place, in and around Covent Garden. Visitors can explore the fascinating displays of theatrical memorabilia, costumes, playbills, models and posters from the Royal Opera House Collections.