Two people wearing costumes smile at each other. One wears a jewelled headdress and the other wears a a hat with green feathers. Around them, other costumes are displayed or hanging up.

EXHIBITION

Step inside our exhibition and discover the stories, people, and theatre magic behind Shakespeare’s Globe.

Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and fascinating treasures. It’s a place to explore, play, and learn together. 

Relive some of our most iconic shows with seasonally curated displays, and try on the costumes and props used by Globe actors themselves.

Our exhibition is open daily from 9.00am to 5.30pm, with last admission at 5.00pm. If you’ve booked a Guided Tour or one of our Family Events, entry is included with your ticket.

Booking tickets for a matinee performance at the Globe Theatre or Sam Wanamaker Playhouse? Upgrade your visit to include entry to our exhibition for £5 at checkout.

Please enter through the Guided Tours entrance on Bankside. The exhibition is fully accessible and we recommend allowing around 30 minutes for your visit, but you are welcome to stay longer. Find out more about visiting us here.

BOOK A GLOBE THEATRE GUIDED TOUR + EXHIBITION

Discover our exhibition

Two people look inside a barrel. The blue walls behind them say 'The Frost Fair' and show a replica town and information about it.
Explore
Travel through 400 years of history to enter Shakespeare’s world and discover surprising stories, interesting facts and moments from the Globe’s past and present. Discover what London looked like during the Frost Fair, and see history in a new way.
Two people wearing different theatre costumes pose for a photo which one of them is taking on their phone.
Perform
Take the spotlight in our recreation of the Globe stage. Try on a costume, pick a prop, grab a script and bring Shakespeare’s words to life.
A person stands beside a replica ship display, surrounded by waves and information on the walls behind.
Discover
Open discovery boxes, play interactive games to test your knowledge and look for hidden details all around the exhibition.
A person plays a large xylophone attached to a wall, with the word GREENSLEEVES above it.
Experience
Explore Shakespeare’s world with all your senses. Smell scents from the past, listen to backstage sounds from the theatre and play Greensleeves on our giant xylophone.
A group of people sit on a seats and on the floor and watch a screen which is showing a performance of Twelfth Night (2012).
Watch
Watch Shakespeare’s Globe come alive. Enjoy highlights from past shows, look for familiar faces and see our old printing press in action.
A persons sits in a make up chair and a Make-up Artist paints on their collarbone. People around them look on.
Imagine
Go behind the scenes to see how wigs, hair, makeup, costumes and stage tricks turn actors into memorable characters. Find out how special effects, like rolling thunder and stage illusions, have amazed audiences for hundreds of years.
Two people sit at a table looking at a piece of paper. Around them are pots of colouring pencils and paper. The words on the wall behind them say CRAFT.
Create
Families can colour, stamp, solve puzzles and try hands-on activities inspired by Shakespeare’s stories. With seasonal events and live demos, there’s always something new to enjoy.

Upcoming events

A person sits and has their face painted by another person. They have painted colourful flowers.

Face painting

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until Saturday 29 August 2026
Friday 30 October and Saturday 31 October 2026

Join us in the exhibition space where you can choose from several colourful designs and turn your families’ faces into works of art. Free with entry to the exhibition, throughout the mornings and afternoons on the dates listed above.

A close up of a candelabra with a lit candle in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

October half-term activities

Saturday 17 October – Sunday 1 November 2026

Visit the exhibition during half-term and help the Wyrd Sisters to concoct a spell, find out how we make ghost costumes for our plays and discover how death, injuries and spirits would have been portrayed on stage in Shakespeare’s time.

Temporary closure

Please note the exhibition will be closed on the following dates:

From 2.00pm on Wednesday 7 October

All day on Thursday 22 October

Tours including entry to the exhibition

Please note that if your tour is at 5.00pm or later, you must visit the exhibition before your tour.

Small group on a tour of Shakespeare's Globe. Caption reads "Globe Theatre Guided Tour"

Globe Theatre Guided Tour

This unique experience brings to life 400 years of history and transports you back to Shakespeare’s London with a guided tour of the Globe Theatre.
Guided Tours
Info & Tickets
Globe Theatre

Pride Guided Tour

Step inside our iconic wooden ‘O’ for a special tour that brings to life the queer characters and stories from Shakespeare's life and writing, and Elizabethan London.
Guided Tours
Info & Tickets
Bankside

Ghosts & Ghouls Family Tour

This special family-friendly, spooky guided tour of the Globe Theatre brings to life the ghosts, spirits and scary happenings of Shakespeare’s most chilling plays.
Info & Tickets
Wooden doors with circular medieval locks. The overlaid text reads Shakespeare's True Crimes Walking Tour

Shakespeare's True Crimes Walking Tour

Explore the streets around the Globe with expert Guides and discover the intriguing criminal history of the Bankside area and its people, including Shakespeare himself. 
Info & Tickets
Bankside
A group of people dressed in coats and scarves stand in a circle listening to a man speak. St Paul's Cathedral is visible in the background.

Twilight Walking Tour

Explore the Bankside area and be transported back to London's 'Kingdom of Night' and discover Shakespeare's fascination with the dark.
Guided Tours
Info & Tickets
Bankside

Shakespeare's Walking Tour

This unique experience includes a walking tour of Bankside, London’s original theatre district bringing 400 years of thrilling history to life.
Guided Tours
Info & Tickets
A light pink background of spring foliage and bubbles of various shapes and sizes.

A Midsummer Night's Dream Guided Tour

Discover more about the history and themes of Shakespeare’s famous comedy in our A Midsummer Night's Dream themed Guided Tour of the Globe Theatre.
Info & Tickets
A person wearing a white shirt and a pinafore dress with a veil, smiles gently directly into the camera, whilst pointing up with their right hand. They have blonde hair and brown eyes and wear a large bead necklace in various shades of brown. Small orbs of colour appear around them. In the background, various trees are overshadowed by tints of red, yellow and purple.

As You Like It Guided Tour

Take our unique As You Like It themed Guided Tour of the Globe Theatre and discover more about Shakespeare’s wild comedy in the Forest of Arden.
Info & Tickets
A red carpeted floor covered in glitter, heart-shaped balloons and a high heeled shoe.

Much Ado About Nothing: Guided Tour

This unique Much Ado About Nothing themed Guided Tour of the Globe Theatre delves into the history, characters and themes of Shakespeare’s comedy of wit and wooing.
Guided Tours
Info & Tickets