# Guangzhou Opera House > Guangzhou Opera House is Zaha Hadid's pair of granite-and-glass 'boulders' on Huacheng Square by the Pearl River. Walking around it is free and takes 30–45 minutes. Inside by day means a Chinese-language tour at ¥15, booked five working days ahead with your passport; no tours on Mondays (unofficial). Otherwise, buy a show ticket. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/guangzhou-opera-house - City: [Guangzhou](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou), China - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - Entry: Tour ¥15; outside free - Opening hours: Tours: Tue–Sun, groups at 10:00, 11:00 and 13:00–16:00 by booking; none on Mondays (unofficial). Outside: open access - With kids: Fine with kids - Outside: Free — Huacheng Square and the paths round the building are open - Building tour: ¥15, half price ¥7.50; ¥12 and ¥6 on holidays - Guide fee: ¥100 per group on weekdays, on top of tickets - Half price: Seniors and students with ID cards, children up to 1.2 m with an adult, disabled visitors - Booking: Real-name with your passport, at least 5 working days ahead, via the theatre's WeChat or by phone - Tour language: Chinese only — no English guide at present - Closed: No tours on Mondays; the auditorium also shuts for rehearsals - Shows: Prices vary by production and seat; tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable - Children at shows: Under 1.2 m not admitted; children pay full price - Metro: Guangzhou Opera House station (大剧院) on the APM line, Exits B and E - Address: 1 Zhujiang West Road, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (珠江西路1号) - Coordinates: 23.11750, 113.31722 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **¥15** — building tour; half price ¥7.50 (source: itimaker.com citing the official ticket page; Wanderin China; eastchinatrip.com (unofficial)) - **Mon** — no tours; book at least five working days ahead (source: itimaker.com; Wanderin China; eastchinatrip.com (unofficial)) - **APM** — Guangzhou Opera House station — Exits B and E onto Huacheng Square (source: English Wikipedia, Guangzhou Opera House station) - **Zaha Hadid** — architect; her 'double pebble' won the 2002 competition (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **2010** — opened on 9 May after five years of construction (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia, Wikidata) - **1,804 seats** — in the main opera auditorium (source: English, Chinese and Russian Wikipedia) - **400 seats** — in the multifunction hall — the smaller boulder (source: Chinese and Russian Wikipedia; Wanderin China) - **≈ 71,000 m²** — total floor area (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia (71,197 m²)) - **¥1.38 bn** — construction cost, about US$200 million (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **1.2 m** — minimum height for children at performances (source: official Guangzhou Opera House website, ticket rules) > **You can't just walk in** By day the opera house only opens for **pre-booked guided tours**: real-name, with your passport, at least **five working days ahead**, via the theatre's WeChat account or by phone — all in Chinese. There's no buying a same-day visitor ticket at the door, and there are no tours on Mondays (unofficial). If you've missed the booking window, you still have two good options: see the building from outside, which is free and is what most people come for, or buy a ticket to a performance. ## Can you go inside the Guangzhou Opera House? Yes, on a guided tour. A tour costs **¥15**, half price **¥7.50**, or ¥12 and ¥6 on public holidays. Half price covers seniors and students with ID cards, children up to 1.2 m with an adult, and disabled visitors. Those figures come from itimaker.com, which cites the official ticket page, and match Wanderin China and eastchinatrip.com — but the theatre sells tours through WeChat and we couldn't open that page, so they're marked as checking. **On weekdays** there's an extra **¥100 guide fee per group**; small groups of under ten don't pay it at weekends or on holidays. Tours start at 10:00 and 11:00 in the morning and hourly from 13:00 to 16:00. They're **in Chinese only** — there's no English guide at the moment. Older figures you may still see online — a ¥30 entry and a ¥200 English tour — are out of date, according to itimaker. Booking is **real-name**: passports are accepted, one booking per ID per day, at least **five working days** ahead, through the theatre's official WeChat account or by phone during weekday office hours, most likely in Chinese. On the day, bring your original passport and the booking text message and meet at the theatre shop. If there's a rehearsal or a set being built, the route changes or the auditorium is left out. In China you pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign Visa or Mastercard; both apps take cards from abroad once you add your passport. Carry a little cash in yuan as a backup. ## Show tickets: what's on and how to buy as a foreigner The programme is on the theatre's official website and WeChat account: opera, ballet, orchestral concerts, musicals and drama, both local companies and touring productions. **Prices depend on the show and the seat**. You can buy on the website, in the theatre's WeChat, from authorised sellers such as Damai and Maoyan, or at the box office, which unofficially opens 10:00–18:00, or until 20:00 on show days. For most foreign visitors **the box office** is easiest: bring your passport. Online sales are in Chinese, and the seller apps often want a mainland phone number. The theatre uses real-name ticketing and may check ID at the door, so take your passport to the show as well. The rules the theatre publishes on its own site: the ticket is your only pass, and **sold tickets can't be refunded, exchanged or replaced**; everyone needs their own ticket; children under **1.2 m** aren't admitted to performances, and children pay full price. Arrive **30 minutes early**. Balcony tickets are valid only for their own level, and some seats have a partial view of the stage or the surtitles — check each listing for surtitle languages. ## Zaha Hadid's 'double pebble' The international competition for the opera house ran in 2002, and Zaha Hadid won it. Her design was dubbed the **double pebble**: two stones worn smooth by the Pearl River. Zaha Hadid Architects describes it as a twin-boulder scheme set into the landscape at the foot of the new city's main boulevard. Construction began in **January 2005** and the theatre **opened on 9 May 2010** — with Puccini's Turandot, according to English Wikipedia. It took over five years and cost about **¥1.38 billion** (roughly US$200 million), for around 71,000 m² of floor space. The larger boulder holds the **1,804-seat** opera auditorium; the smaller one a **400-seat** multifunction hall for chamber pieces and experimental work. The shell is granite and glass over a steel frame. Shortly after opening it was officially renamed the Guangzhou Grand Theatre (广州大剧院), but in English everyone still calls it the opera house. It anchors the river end of **Huacheng Square**, the green axis of the Zhujiang New Town business district, and reads best from a distance — from the square, Haixin Bridge or a boat. ## What to see around the opera house - **The building itself** — walk all the way round: the granite facets, the triangular glazing and the ramps up to the entrance change the silhouette at every step. - **The lawn and pond** on the square side, where you get both boulders together against the Guangzhou IFC tower. - **Huacheng Square**, the long landscaped spine of the new downtown running north between the skyscrapers — good for a stroll before or after. - **Canton Tower across the water** — from the south side of the opera house the [Canton Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/canton-tower) stands straight over the river, lit up after dark. - **Guangdong Museum**, the next building to the east, about five minutes on foot: free with a WeChat booking, closed on Mondays (unofficial). - **Haixinsha Island and Haixin Bridge** to the southwest — the footbridge crosses the river to Canton Tower. - **The foyer and main auditorium** — only on a tour or with a show ticket, and the hall depends on the rehearsal schedule. ## How to get to the Guangzhou Opera House 1. **From Beijing Road** — Line 1 from Gongyuanqian to Tiyu Xilu. Then either exit and walk to the **APM** at Tianhenan (separate ¥2 fare) and ride four stops to **Guangzhou Opera House**, or stay underground and take Line 3 one stop to Zhujiang New Town. 2. **Guangzhou Opera House station (大剧院)** on the APM is the closest: Exits B and E come up on Huacheng Square, with the theatre a couple of minutes to the southwest. APM trains run roughly 7:00–23:30. 3. **Zhujiang New Town station** on Lines 3 and 5 — from there it's about 700–800 m south across Huacheng Square, 10–15 minutes on foot (our estimate from the map). 4. **From Canton Tower** — two stops north on the APM via Haixinsha, or walk over Haixin Bridge: about 2 km, roughly half an hour (our estimate from the map). 5. **From Baiyun Airport (CAN)** — Line 3 from Airport North to Tiyu Xilu, then Line 3 one stop to Zhujiang New Town, or the APM as above. Terminal 1 is closed for rebuilding and trains run through Airport South without stopping. 6. **Taxi or DiDi**: show '广州大剧院, 珠江西路1号'. According to Zaha Hadid Architects, the visitor drop-off is on the north side. After an evening show, book your DiDi before the crowd spills out. ## Is the Guangzhou Opera House worth visiting? If you like contemporary architecture, yes — and you don't need a ticket or a booking for the best part. **Allow 30–45 minutes outside**: circle the building, stop by the pond, look across the river to the tower. It pairs naturally with a walk up Huacheng Square and an evening by the water. The interior tour is worth it only if you speak some Chinese or are happy to tag along with a Chinese group for the interiors, and if you're in town long enough to book five working days ahead. For a short trip that's hard work, and the ¥15 isn't the obstacle. The best way to see the auditorium is **a performance**: ballet, opera and orchestral concerts need no Chinese, and a night at the opera leads straight into a [Pearl River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/pearl-river). If old Guangzhou appeals more, put [Beijing Road](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/beijing-road) and [Yuexiu Park](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/yuexiu-park) first and save the opera house for an evening by the river. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] It isn't a Monday, if I'm doing a tour - [ ] Tour booked five working days ahead — or I'm just seeing it from outside - [ ] Original passport with me - [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay set up with a foreign card — or some cash - [ ] Show ticket bought, and any children are over 1.2 m - [ ] Arriving 30 minutes before curtain - [ ] Umbrella: the paths round the building are exposed ## Opera house, Canton Tower or museum? | | Opera House | Canton Tower | Guangdong Museum | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Entry | Outside free; tour ¥15 | From ¥150 | Free with booking | | Booking | At least 5 working days | Timed online tickets | Museum's WeChat | | Mondays | No tours | Open | Closed | | Evenings | Performances | Last entry 22:00 | No | | Time | 30–45 minutes outside | About two hours | A couple of hours or more | All figures are unofficial, from travel guides. The three sit close together: the museum and opera house on the north bank by day, the tower on the south bank for sunset. ## Guangzhou after dark compared Places in Guangzhou worth going to after sunset, as rated by YesGo. - [Canton Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/canton-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · From ¥150, under 1.2 m free - [Dafo Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/guangzhou-dafo-temple) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Beijing Road](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/beijing-road) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Guangzhou Opera House](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/guangzhou-opera-house) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Tour ¥15; outside free - [Pearl River](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/pearl-river) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ ¥90–220 boat; riverside free ## An evening by the river: opera house, tower and cruise The opera house and Huacheng Square by day, Canton Tower across the river for sunset, then a Pearl River cruise. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Guangzhou Opera House](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/guangzhou-opera-house) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Tour ¥15; outside free 2. [Canton Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/canton-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · From ¥150, under 1.2 m free 3. [Pearl River](https://yesgo.io/china/guangzhou/pearl-river) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ ¥90–220 boat; riverside free ## Tips - Book the tour as soon as you know your dates: five working days is the minimum, and weekends and holidays don't count. - Come late afternoon for photos: the granite warms up and Canton Tower lights up across the river. - Shoot both boulders together from Huacheng Square or Haixin Bridge, not up close by the entrance. - Pair it with the Guangdong Museum next door — but not on a Monday, when that's closed too. - Take your passport to performances: the theatre runs real-name ticketing. - Don't buy from touts outside — the theatre won't refund or exchange tickets. ## Questions ### Can you go inside the Guangzhou Opera House? Yes, on a guided tour booked at least five working days ahead with your passport: ¥15, half price ¥7.50, plus ¥100 per group on weekdays. Tours are in Chinese only and don't run on Mondays (unofficial). Or go to a show. ### How much are Guangzhou Opera House tickets? A building tour is ¥15. Performance prices depend on the production and seat and are listed on the theatre's website. Sold tickets can't be refunded. ### Is there an English tour? Not at present — tours are Chinese-only. The ¥200 English tour quoted in older listings is out of date. ### Who designed the Guangzhou Opera House? Zaha Hadid. Her 'double pebble' design — two stones smoothed by the Pearl River — won the 2002 competition, and the building opened in May 2010. ### How do foreigners buy show tickets? Easiest at the box office with your passport. Online sales are in Chinese and seller apps often need a mainland phone number. Pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, or cash. ### Is the Guangzhou Opera House open on Mondays? There are no tours on Mondays. Performances follow their own calendar, and you can see the building from outside any day. ### What's the nearest metro station? Guangzhou Opera House on the APM line, Exits B and E. Zhujiang New Town on Lines 3 and 5 is a 10–15 minute walk across Huacheng Square. ### Can children go? Outside, of course. On a tour, children up to 1.2 m get half price with an adult. At performances children under 1.2 m aren't admitted, and children pay full price. ### How far is it from Canton Tower? Two stops on the APM, or about 2 km on foot across Haixin Bridge — roughly half an hour. ## How we checked The theatre's official website only opened as its home page with the performance ticket rules — no refunds, the 1.2 m height limit and arriving 30 minutes early — so those are marked official. Tours are sold through WeChat and we couldn't open that page, so the ¥15 price, concessions, guide fee, group times, five-working-day booking and Monday closure come from itimaker.com (which cites the official page), Wanderin China and eastchinatrip.com, which agree, and are marked as checking. Trip.com still quotes ¥30–50, and itimaker explicitly flags the old ¥30 entry and ¥200 English tour as out of date; we treat them as old figures. English and Chinese Wikipedia and Wikidata date the opening to 9 May 2010, Russian Wikipedia to February 2010, so we say May. The 1,804-seat figure matches across three Wikipedias. Box office hours come from a single unofficial source. Walking distances are our own estimates from OpenStreetMap coordinates, not measured on foot. Payment notes follow YesGo's shared China notes from travel guides. ## Sources - Official Guangzhou Opera House website (gzdjy.org): ticket purchase rules for performances - itimaker.com — tours: prices, concessions, group times, booking, box office (citing the theatre's official ticket page) - Wanderin China — Guangzhou Opera House: tours, metro, halls - eastchinatrip.com — tours and metro - English, Chinese and Russian Wikipedia: Guangzhou Opera House / 广州大剧院 / Оперный театр в Гуанчжоу; Wikidata Q3354553 - English Wikipedia: Guangzhou Opera House station and the Zhujiang New Town APM - Zaha Hadid Architects — project description - Guides to the Guangdong Museum (itimaker.com, intotravelchina.com) — booking and Monday closing - OpenStreetMap — coordinates used to estimate walking distances --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.