Brighton Dome

The venue attracts a wide variety of performances that have included David Bowie, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix. Most notably, it was the venue for the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest when ABBA won with Waterloo.

What to see at the Brighton Dome

The complex is comprised of three theatre venues: the Concert Hall, the Studio Theatre and the Corn Exchange.

The Concert Hall was formerly the Prince Regent’s stables and were converted into a Concert Hall after the site was sold by Queen Victoria. It was initially opened in 1867 but was rebuilt in the 1930s with an art deco interior. The theatre was renovated again in 1999–2002 and was reopened with an updated acoustic system, improved seating and foyer facilities.

The Corn Exchange was originally built as the Prince Regent’s riding school and was redeveloped into a theatre at the same time as the Concert Hall.

The Studio Theatre is a smaller venue (formerly called the Pavilion Theatre) that was built in 1935. It is mostly used for lesser-known acts as well as lunchtime chamber recitals.

Visiting the Brighton Dome

The Brighton Dome is on Church Street in Brighton city centre. It is very close to the Royal Pavilion (close enough to be linked by underground passage) and most points of interest in the city centre are not more than a 10-minute walk away.

There are two ways to visit the Brighton Dome. You can either visit a concert, theatre production or another scheduled event or you can take a backstage tour of the venue.

Watching a show at the Brighton Dome

The best way to see the Brighton Dome is to experience it was it was designed by seeing a show here. There is a range of shows here including stand-up comedy, classical music and theatre productions with most tickets ranging from £10 to £30.

There is a cafe/bar on site, which opens 45 minutes before most performances.

Backstage tours of the Brighton Dome

If you’re not able to see a show, a backstage tour will give you a great introduction to the venue. Guided tours give you more background information that you could discover yourself and take you behind the scenes to backstage areas and you are also able to see the entrance to the tunnel that runs to the Royal Pavilion.

Please note that backstage tours only operate a couple of days each month. Places on the tours can sell out so it is best to pre-book your tour tickets to ensure a spot on the tour.

For the most part, the venue is accessible for visitors with disabilities and they even have a programme of captioned performances, British Sign Language interpreted performances and multi-sensory performances for people with autism spectrum condition. However, backstage tours are not wheelchair accessible as there are stairs in the backstage areas.