Shakespeare’s Globe sits on the Thames River in London and acts as a unique slice of history surrounded by modern buildings. It’s a prominent part of Shakespearean history and the best thing about it is you can still watch timeless plays inside the Globe as if you were back in the 17th century, but is the Shakespeare’s Globe tour worth visiting? Here we’ll offer a review, from a first-hand experience and also give you some discount tips.
Shakespeare Globe, what exactly is it?
The Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is a reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre where many of Shakespeare’s plays were first performed during the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
The modern reconstruction, known as Shakespeare’s Globe, was built not far from the original site on the south bank of the River Thames in London, a popular area for a Thames walk.
The ‘new’ Globe is designed to closely resemble the original Globe theatre, offering an immersive experience for audiences to enjoy Shakespeare’s plays in a setting that closely resembles the original performance conditions.
Shakespeare Globe Tour, what exactly is it?
The tour of the Globe is led by a guide and they offer a great insight into what it was like living in 16th century London with humorous tales and interesting historical facts about the actors and the audiences of the Globe.
We were horrified at the hygiene conditions and the different environments that the patrons dealt with back then so you will get some giggles from the crowd during your tour.
First, you will get access to the Globe’s walk-through exhibition which sits underneath the Globe. From there a guide will take you around the different seating levels, by the stage and outside, and around the globe so you get to see most of the main areas. They will also talk about the most popular plays at the theatre.
How long does the Shakespeare’s Globe tour take?
Allow 45-50 minutes for the tour itself but also keep some time before the start to browse the museum as there are plenty of interesting costumes and history to explore in there too. An hour all-in should be enough.
How much does Shakespeare’s Globe tour cost?
It is £25 for an adult ticket and £18 for an under-16 ticket. However, we didn’t pay full price for this tour…
Top tip: We used a Go City London attraction pass and this attraction is included on the pass among many other attractions. We saw three different London attractions over two days so saved ourselves about £32 overall as opposed to paying direct attraction gate fees.
The highlights and best bits
The highlight for me was sitting in the seats looking down at the stage while the guide described the different seating conditions of the old 16th-century theatre and how the rich had a completely different experience to the poor in such a small arena.
During The Globe tour you will see
- The walk-through exhibition museum near the start of the tour
- 2-3 different seated views of the stage
- Some detailed historical recreations explained by the tour guide
- Walk through passageways in and around the Globe
- Walk near or on the stage, like I did (depending what’s on that week)
The not-so-good bits
- I was expecting to see more onstage and backstage
- The tour might feel quick if you’re not aware of its overall time (as I wasn’t)
- It’s not the original Globe Theatre, but that doesn’t exist so it is as close as it gets
- In terms of value for money, you can get more out of other London attractions at this price
Our overall rating 3.5 out of 5
I found the tour really interesting and it was good to immerse yourself in a piece of London and Shakespearean history. A good tour guide really makes it worthwhile for this attraction and the building seems quite fascinatingly old despite it being rebuilt and well-maintained. The walk-through exhibition is quite small but definitely a great new addition.
Overall it’s an enjoyable experience and one of the historical London attractions that I would recommend, especially if you’re fond of Shakespeare or London history but there are still better value-for-money attractions around.