London's Rose Playhouse Reopens to the Public: Shakespeare Site Tours, Dates & Tickets

At a Glance: The Rose Playhouse Reopens After Six Years

London's Rose Playhouse on Bankside will open its archaeological remains to the public for the first time in six years, with guided tours running every Thursday from September 17 to October 29, 2026. Tours take place from 10am to 3pm and last around 45 minutes. Southwark residents go free; everyone else pays £12 (concessions £8).

Address: The Rose Playhouse, 56 Park Street, Bankside, SE1 9AR.

A Shakespeare Stage That Predates the Globe

When people think of Shakespeare, it's usually the Globe Theatre that steals the spotlight. But just down the river stood another playhouse that shaped a young Shakespeare long before that — the Rose. Built in 1587, it was Bankside's very first purpose-built theatre, opening more than a decade before the Globe arrived.

Shakespeare regularly worked and performed there, and his first tragedy, Titus Andronicus, was staged at the Rose, alongside Christopher Marlowe's landmark plays Doctor Faustus and Tamburlaine the Great.

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A Short-Lived but Legendary Theatre

Compared with other London theatres, the Rose had a remarkably brief life — it closed in 1603, less than 20 years after opening. Its remains were believed lost for centuries, until they were rediscovered by chance in 1989 during construction of an office block nearby.

A preservation campaign backed by the likes of Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Laurence Olivier saved the site from the building work, and it is now officially protected under the Scheduled Monument law.

How the Ruins Are Preserved and How to Visit

The uncovered ruins (about one-third is still to be excavated) are preserved underwater and traced with rope lights. In September and October, visitors can see the Rose Playhouse's archaeological remains for the first time in six years, with tours on Thursdays from September 17 to October 29, between 10am and 3pm, each lasting about 45 minutes.

The tours explain how and why the Rose was built, the people who worked and performed there, and the full story of its rediscovery. Southwark residents visit for free; other visitors pay £12, with concessions at £8.

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The Future: The Rose Revealed

The Rose Theatre Trust ultimately hopes to raise enough money to complete the archaeological dig and transform the site into an exhibition, learning centre and performance space called The Rose Revealed.

Source: Time Out London "One of London's most important Shakespeare sites is opening up to the public with new tours" (August 24, 2026)