Royal Exchange Theatre
Creative TouristThe Royal Exchange is a former trading hall that became a theatre back in 1973. It was severely damaged by the 1996 IRA bomb that ripped the heart out of Manchester’s city centre, underwent a £32m redevelopment and reopened two years later with its seven-sided glass and steel theatre-in-the-round fully updated too.
This innovative performance space squats inside the Victorian Great Hall, a little like an alien interloper, making the Royal Exchange one of the most unique and celebrated theatres in the country, highly regarded for both new writing and its take on the classics. It also houses a public lounge, a family-friendly space with books to read and games to play, and The Rivals Bar & Café, the perfect perch for pre and post-show refreshments.