Barbican Centre

Barbican Centre
Map
AddressSilk Street
London, EC2
United Kingdom
Coordinates51°31′13″N 0°05′42″W / 51.5202°N 0.0950°W / 51.5202; -0.0950
Public transitLondon Underground Barbican
London Underground Elizabeth line National Rail Farringdon
London Underground National Rail Moorgate
OwnerCity of London Corporation
DesignationGrade II
Typeperforming arts centre
CapacityBarbican Hall: 1,943
Barbican Theatre: 1,156
The Pit: 200
Construction
Opened1982; 42 years ago (1982)
ArchitectChamberlin, Powell and Bon
Website
barbican.org.uk

The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe.[1] The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory. The Barbican Centre is a member of the Global Cultural Districts Network.

The London Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra are based in the centre's Concert Hall. In 2013, it once again became the London-based venue of the Royal Shakespeare Company following the company's departure in 2001.[2]

The Barbican Centre is owned, funded, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It was built as the City's gift to the nation at a cost of £161 million (equivalent to £718,000,000 in 2023) and was officially opened to the public by Queen Elizabeth II on 3 March 1982. The Barbican Centre is also known for its brutalist architecture.[3]

  1. ^ "About Barbican". The Barbican. Archived from the original on 5 October 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  2. ^ Brown, Mark (10 September 2013). "Royal Shakespeare Company to return to Barbican Centre | Stage". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  3. ^ Mark Callaghan, Mark (14 November 2013). "Beauty in the Beast: In Defence of Brutalism".Architect Weekly.