Jane's Midlife Journey

Bournemouth Pavilion is a theatre in central Bournemouth, overlooking Bournemouth Gardens and the sea. Built in the 1920s, this Art Deco theatre retains much of its original charm. The theatre provides year-round entertainment including touring West End shows, opera, dance, pantomime, comedy and music concerts. Although there is a broad range of shows on offer, I usually go for a fix of musical theatre, with opportunities to see touring professional shows as well as local amateur productions.

With a seating capacity of 1500, the theatre is large enough to to create a great atmosphere but small enough to retain a feeling of intimacy.

How to get to Bournemouth Pavilion

Sandwiched between the coast and the town centre, the Pavilion is easy to reach from the A338 ring road.

By Bus

Most buses to Bournemouth stop at Bournemouth Square, a 5 minute walk away. There is also a bus stop right outside the entrance in Westover Road serving several buses including the m1/m2 and Breezer buses. Note: This is a one way road, so there isn’t a corresponding stop on the opposite side of the road. After your visit, you will need to walk to Bournemouth Square or St Peter’s Church to catch a bus home.

Parking

The Pavilion has its own car park; Pavilion Car Park. However, finding a space can be difficult (especially on a sunny day) due to the proximity to the beach. Parking is fairly expensive, costing £3.80 for an hour for most of the year (£2.40 between November and March). The last show we attended lasted 2 hours 49 minutes, so even if we had parked very shortly before curtain up and pretty much sprinted out of the building after the encore, we would have been hard pressed to get away with paying £11.40 to park. We didn’t sprint, so it cost £15.40. Central Car Park is significantly cheaper (£5.80 for 4 hours) and only an 8 minute walk away.

Food & Drink

Like most theatres, there are several bars for your pre/mid/post performance refreshments. Unlike most theatres, you can choose to take your refreshments on the terrace overlooking the sea. You actually also get quite a nice sea view from the ladies’ toilets. You may get a good view from the men’s toilets – I haven’t checked this out! To the rear of the theatre is the Terrace Bistro, which serves food and drinks. It has indoor seating plus a terrace overlooking the gardens and the sea beyond.

During the summer, the South Terrace offers a range of food and drinks, which can be enjoyed al-fresco on the terrace overlooking the sea and gardens.

Performances

We visited most recently to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat put on by the excellent local company; BBLOC (Bournemouth & Boscombe Light Opera Company). It’s the 6th time I’ve been to a BBLOC musical since I’ve lived here. I have also attended touring West End Shows. To to be honest, BBLOC could give your average West End performance a run for their money.

Compton Organ

Integral to the design of the building is the theatre’s Compton Organ. Installed in 1929, the organ lives under the stage and rises dramatically from the floor for performances. The organ’s 1852 pipes are concealed behind the arched concretes chambers either side of the stage. The music travels up the chamber, bouncing off the Pavilion’s domed roof to fill the auditorium with a cacophony of sound.

If you want to hear the organ in action, there are monthly afternoon concerts, plus a Christmas special in December.

Pavilion Dance South West

The rear part of the Pavilion is home to Pavilion Dance South West, which offers both dance classes and performances in a wide range of genres – from ballet to belly dancing. With classes suitable for all ages from Mini Movers for babies and toddlers to dance and ballet classes for over 50s.

Bournemouth Pavilion for Children

Some performances are suitable for children, in particular the annual Christmas Pantomime – who doesn’t love a Panto? There are some shows aimed specifically at children, particularly during the school holidays. Age guidance is provided for each show in the booking details.

Note: With very limited discounts on children’s tickets, a visit to the Pavilion isn’t cheap with tickets for forthcoming shows starting at over £20.

• Updated: May 2026

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.