Opening times
Don't get caught waiting outside, here are the opening times for each of our Southbank Centre venues.
Holiday opening times
Find out here when our buildings are open over Christmas and New Year. Our usual opening hours can be found below.
Royal Festival Hall:
Sun 24 Dec, 10am – 6pm
Mon 25 & Tue 26 Dec, all buildings closed
Wed 27 – Sat 30 Dec, 10am – 11pm
Sun 31 Dec, 10am – 3pm
Mon 1 & Tue 2 Jan, 10am – 6pm
National Poetry Library:
Sun 24 – Tue 26 Dec, closed
Wed 27 – Sat 30 Dec, 12 noon – 8pm
Sun 31 Dec & Mon 1 Jan, closed
Tue 2 Jan, 12 noon – 6pm
Members' Lounge:
Sun 24 Dec, 10am – 6pm
Mon 25 & Tue 26 Dec, closed
Wed 27 – Sat 30 Dec, 10am – 11pm
Sun 31 Dec & Mon 1 Jan, closed
Tue 2 Jan, 10am – 6pm
Hayward Gallery:
Sun 24 Dec, 10am – 4pm
Mon 25 & Tue 26 Dec, closed
Wed 27 – Fri 29 Dec, 10am – 6pm
Sat 30 Dec, 10am – 8pm
Sun 31 Dec, 10am – 4pm
Mon 1 & Tue 2 Jan, closed
The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room are open only on the days they host events as usual.
Royal Festival Hall
Our Royal Festival Hall is open
Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 6pm**
Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
**On evenings where there are events taking place in the Royal Festival Hall the building remains open until the end of the event.
Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room
The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room are open only on the days they host events. The auditoriums, and the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, open from 90 minutes before events begin, staying open until they have finished.
These spaces are closed at all other times.
Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery is open
Wed – Fri, 10am – 6pm
Sat, 10am – 8pm
Sun, 10am – 6pm
Closed Mon & Tue
The gallery will close at 4pm on Sunday 24 Dec and Sunday 31 Dec.
National Poetry Library
The National Poetry Library is located on Level 5 of the Royal Festival Hall. Step-free access is available via the JCB Glass Lift. The Library is closed on Mondays, but is open
Tuesday, 12 noon – 6pm
Wednesday – Sunday, 12 noon – 8pm
Booking is optional, but if you wish to plan ahead please email
Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden
Located, as its name suggest, on the roof of our Queen Elizabeth Hall, our garden is currently closed for the winter. It will reopen again in the spring.
Southbank Centre Food Market
Located on the Belvedere Road side of our Royal Festival Hall, our food market is open
Fridays, 12 noon – 9pm
Saturdays, 11am – 9pm
Sundays 12 noon – 6pm*
Bank holiday Mondays, 12 noon – 6pm
*On bank holiday weekends the market is open 11am – 9pm on Sundays
Archive Studio
Our Archive Studio can be found on Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall.
The Archive Studio is closed currently, but research access is available, by appointment, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Access to the Studio is free.