View of Southbank Centre credit Belinda Lawley
Image Credit
Photo: Belinda Lawley
Opening times
Find out when Southbank Centre venues are open.
Royal Festival Hall
Open 10am – 11pm every day except Christmas Day.
Entry to our foyers is free, and you are welcome to come in and enjoy the atmosphere with or without a ticket.
Each day we close some foyer spaces to visitors and only allow entry to people with tickets. This is to provide space for audiences as they arrive for performances. Please look out for signs and listen to announcements; these give you more information about closure times and where else you can sit.
Auditorium doors open 30 minutes before the event start time.
Royal Festival Hall Building closure: occasionally Royal Festival Hall is closed to the public due to private hire. We publicise these times across the site and online, so please check before visiting.
Upcoming events at Royal Festival Hall
The National Poetry Library
Open 11am – 8pm, Tuesday – Sunday.
The National Poetry Library is open to all and free to join with proof of a UK address. You can find it on Level 5 of Royal Festival Hall.
What's on at The Poetry Library
Archive Studio
Open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10.30am – 1pm & 2pm – 4.30pm
The Archive Studio is a collaborative project to make the most of Southbank Centre’s extensive archive. Everyone aged 16+ is welcome, and access is free. You can find it on Level 2 of Royal Festival Hall.
Latest news from the Archive Studio
Southbank Centre Food Market
Located in Southbank Centre Square, our food markets are open most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as Bank Holiday Mondays, at the following times:
Fridays from 12 noon – 8pm
Saturdays from 11am – 8pm
Sundays from 12 noon – 6pm
Bank holiday Mondays from 12 noon – 6pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery
Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery closed on 21 September 2015 for essential repair and maintenance to ensure that the buildings are fit for future generations to enjoy. Festival Village, under Queen Elizabeth Hall, is also currently closed whilst we transform these 1960s venues.
let the light in
Get the latest news about our renovation project and discover how you can help us.
Partner venues
Attending an event at one of our associate venues? Find out more about these venues below.