Barbican Centre

Barbican Centre is Europe's largest centre for performing arts

Water feature and courtyard at Barbican Centre
Water feature and courtyard at Barbican Centre cc licensed photo by _gee_

The largest centre for performing arts in Europe, Barbican Centre is located in the Barbican Estate in the north part of London. The centre is the home of both the London and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. It also features a wide range of music concerts, both classical and contemporary as well as art exhibits, film screenings theatre and dance performances.

The Barbican Centre was built and paid for by the City of London as a gift to the nation and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on March 3, 1982.

It is a complex multilevel structure containing a concert hall that can seat an audience of 1,949; a theatre with a capacity of 1,166; 3 cinemas with seating for 288, 255 and 155 and an Art Gallery. There are also 7 conference halls, 2 exhibition halls a library, 3 restaurants and an outdoor courtyard area complete with a water feature. Yellow lines are painted on walkways to help you find this large but obscure centre.

The modernist design of the Barbican Centre has resulted in a people friendly venue that has helped attract a whole new generation to watch and participate in the performing arts.

For more information about the Barbican Centre as well as shows and schedules visit their official website link below.



Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes

Barbican Centre Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Thursday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Friday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Sunday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM

Address: Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, UK

Phone: 020 7870 2500

Official Website: Barbican Centre

Barbican Centre Reviews

Rated 4.6 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating We went there and saw a shakspear play. The building itself is a very nice brutalist architecture and from the inside it is pretty spacious and comfortable. The theatre room that we visited was very pretty and i loved how the doors closed and that each row had its own entrance. They had a nice souvenir shop with a photoautomat. Great experience.
Mike Aoun - a month ago

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5 Star Rating A must-see spot in London if you are interested in architectural history. It is a landmark of Brutalist architecture. The complex combines residential estates with a cultural venue hosting concerts and exhibitions. It also features a cinema, a gift shop, and restaurants. I recommend it for a family day out.
Dariusz Zareba - a month ago

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4 Star Rating First time visiting the Barbican, and I must say I was very impressed by its striking Brutalist architecture. In particular, the descent down to the stalls creates an interesting visual perspective, with the illuminated arches leading to each individual row adding a distinctive architectural touch. The seats themselves were comfortable, although they did not automatically fold up when standing, which made it more difficult for people to pass along the row during the performance. As for High Society, it was generally an enjoyable production. Unfortunately, around ten minutes in, the actor playing George appeared to forget his lines, resulting in the scene having to be restarted. Thankfully, it resumed from the beginning of that scene rather than from the start of the show, and the cast recovered well. I also felt that the understudy performing Dexter’s songs was occasionally slightly off-key, although this did not significantly detract from the overall experience. There were also some issues during the interval. The queues became quite congested and made it difficult to see what refreshments were available, suggesting that the organisation of the bar and service areas could have been improved. The facilities were less impressive. The toilets had an unpleasant smell, and there were particularly long queues for the women’s toilets, which added to the congestion during the interval. Exiting the venue proved somewhat challenging. The stairways created bottlenecks, particularly as some older audience members understandably needed to take the stairs slowly, causing delays in leaving the auditorium. Overall, despite a few operational issues, some challenges with the facilities, and a couple of performance mishaps, I enjoyed both the production and the experience of visiting the Barbican. The venue’s unique architecture alone makes it worth a visit, and High Society remains an entertaining musical.
Nolan Arulraj - a month ago

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5 Star Rating The Barbican is huge and maze-like; it’s very easy to get lost! I did wander around the main building for a while but it was far more interesting and cooler to go up onto the High Walks. I saw a boy dance group rehearsing and also came across two elegant ballet dancers and their photographer.
Anne Marie Stagg - 2 months ago

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5 Star Rating The Barbican Centre is one of those truly surprising places in London—it is absolutely unique, incredible, and fascinating. The brutalist architecture is captivating, making it an unparalleled landmark in the city. Beyond its striking concrete structures, it is a massive cultural hub filled with hidden gems, from its serene indoor conservatory to its vibrant lakeside terrace. It is the perfect blend of bold design and artistic life. A must-visit and a completely unmatched experience if you are exploring London!
Angela M. Santander M. - a month ago

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Directions

Tube Line Nearest Station Walking Time
Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith and City LinesBarbican10 minutes
Northern LineMoorgate10 minutes
Central LineSt. Paul's10 minutes

How to get to Barbican Centre by Tube

From Barbican Station take the street level exit. Go right on Aldersgate St. and then left onto Beech St. and walk through Beech St. tunnel. If going to exhibition halls 1 or 2 go left at Golden Lane, otherwise keep going straight to the end of the tunnel. Cross the street at the end of the tunnel and follow Silk St. to the Barbican Centre entrance on your right.

From Moorgate Station take Finsbury Square exit and go right to Moor Place then right to Moorfields. Take the escalator between Moorgate Station and Boots up to the Highwalk the follow the yellow line all the way to the entrance.

From St. Paul's Station take exit 1 and go to your right along Cheapside until you get to Wood St. Turn left onto Wood St. and continue to the traffic light, then take the escalator, stairs or lift to Alban Highwalk. Follow the yellow line to the entrance.

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