Guided Walking Theatre Tours

Join us for a guided one-hour walking tour of this 2,000-seat state-of-the-art playhouse that showcases the best in both traditional and contemporary design.

Built by the father and son producing team of David and Ed Mirvish, the Princess of Wales Theatre opened on May 26, 1993, with the Canadian premiere of Miss Saigon. Designed by architect Peter Smith, with an interior design by the (then up-and-coming) world renowned design firm Yabu Pushelberg, and featuring artwork by the brilliant Frank Stella, it was the first privately-built, stand-alone theatre in North America in over 50 years – and the first in Canada since the historic Royal Alexandra Theatre, (located just one block away), opened in 1907. The theatre has since become the premier home of classic and contemporary musical productions.

About the Tour

The focus of this one-hour guided tour is on the history and design of the theatre, with stops throughout the dynamic front-of-house lounge and lobby spaces and theatre auditorium, including an exploration of the brilliant artwork by Frank Stella, which covers over 10,000 square feet of the building.

Please note that tours are available in English only, and include walking and stairs (with limited elevator access to select areas only).

This is a guided group tour, not an open house or photography tour. Please remain with the group throughout the tour. Some photos may be permitted at the discretion of the tour guide.

Tour tickets must be purchased in advance. No walk-ups or in-person purchasing. Recommended for ages 6+. All visitors regardless of age require a ticket. Up to six spots are reserved for subscribers per tour slot.

Join us for a one-hour tour of Canada’s oldest continuously-operating legitimate theatre, the first “royal” theatre in North America and the home of over four thousand productions since first opening in 1907.

Named a National Historic Site in 1987, the Royal Alexandra Theatre is a masterpiece of beaux-arts architecture that holds distinction as the city’s first steel-framed structure, one of the first air-conditioned buildings in the world, and the continent’s first theatre to be deemed legitimately “fireproof”. Built by Cawthra Mulock (Toronto’s “boy millionaire”), and saved from demolition in 1963 by Ed Mirvish (Toronto’s “Honest Ed”), its stage has been graced by such legendary performers as John Gielgud, Fred Astaire, Edith Piaf, Al Jolson and Paul Robeson, to name just a few.

About the Tour

The focus of this one-hour guided tour is on the history and design of the theatre, with stops throughout the elegant front-of-house spaces and theatre auditorium, including an exploration of how the theatre has endured for over a century while the world changed around it.

Please note that tours are available in English only, and include walking and stairs (no elevator access).

This is a guided group tour, not an open house or photography tour. Please remain with the group throughout the tour. Some photos may be permitted at the discretion of the tour guide.

Tour tickets must be purchased in advance. No walk-ups or in-person purchasing. Recommended for ages 6+. All visitors regardless of age require a ticket. Up to six spots are reserved for subscribers per tour slot.

Join us for a one-hour tour of this historic landmark theatre that has been reshaped, reimagined and renamed many times over the past century – a mirror of the evolution of popular culture and Toronto’s entertainment landscape for over a century.

Since opening in 1920 as the Pantages Theatre, it has functioned as a combination vaudeville and motion picture house, a movie palace, and one of the world’s first “multi-plex” cinemas, and now enjoys its place as one of the finest “legitimate” theatres in North America. With lavish interiors designed by world-renowned architect Thomas Lamb, it is a beautiful and fascinating building to learn about and explore.

About the Tour

The focus of this one-hour guided tour is on the history and design of the theatre, with stops throughout the majestic front-of-house spaces and theatre auditorium, including an exploration of the many twists and turns, renovations and colorful characters behind the scenes that have shaped the story of this legendary theatre.

Please note that tours are available in English only, and include walking and stairs (no elevator access).

This is a guided group tour, not an open house or photography tour. Please remain with the group throughout the tour. Some photos may be permitted at the discretion of the tour guide.

Tour tickets must be purchased in advance. No walk-ups or in-person purchasing. Recommended for ages 6+. All visitors regardless of age require a ticket. Up to six spots are reserved for subscribers per tour slot.