Bahrain National Theatre

The Bahrain National Theatre is the country's leading performing arts venue, located on King Faisal Highway in north Manama, Bahrain, next to the Bahrain National Museum. Opened in 2012, the building is a striking modern structure beside the Gulf, and its main hall seats around a thousand people for theatre, concerts, dance and cultural festivals. The programme mixes Arabic plays, classical and contemporary music, international touring acts and national celebrations, so what visitors experience depends on the date. Tickets typically cost BHD 5-30 depending on the show, and the box office is open on performance days. A performance usually lasts one to two hours. Even without a ticket, visitors can view the building from outside for free, and its clean lines and waterfront setting make it worth a photograph, particularly from the grounds facing the sea or from the road in the evening when the building is lit. Evening performances are the best time to experience the venue, with the foyer lively before curtain time; during the day the site is quiet. Because the theatre sits beside the museum, a convenient plan is to visit the museum in the morning and return for a show in the evening. Visitors should check the programme at the official Bahrain tourism page before travelling, dress smartly for performances, and arrive early to collect tickets. Parking is available nearby, and a taxi or Careem from Bab Al Bahrain takes about ten minutes. Photography is typically not allowed during performances.