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 its original charm and provides year-round entertainment, including touring West End shows, opera, ballet, pantomime, comedy and music concerts. Although there is a broad range of shows on offer, we 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, Bournemouth is easy to reach from the A338 ring road.

By Bus

The Pavilion is easily accessible by public transport. 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 (m1/m2/12/X1/X2/X3/X6). 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 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 £3.60 for an hour for most of the year (£2.30 between November and mid 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 £10.80 to park. We didn’t sprint, so it cost £14.50.

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.

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 magically 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.

Bournemouth Pavilion for Children

Some performances are suitable for children, in particular the annual Christmas Pantomime – who doesn’t love a Panto? This year’s offering is Cinderella. There are some shows aimed specifically at children, particularly during the school holidays. Forthcoming events include Cirque Enchantment, Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show, Ministry of Science Live, Dinosaurs Live and Bluey’s Big Play. 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. For example, a family ticket to see Peppa Pig will set you back £76.

• Updated: October 2025

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.