The William Shakespeare Globe Theater is a top destination for literary art experts, fine art lovers, and travelers from all over the world. The original Globe Theatre is located in London was built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s performing arts company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. The original theater was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. A second Globe Theatre was built on the same site by June 1614 but closed in 1642. A modern reconstruction of the Globe, named “Shakespeare’s Globe”, opened in 1997 approximately 230 meters from the site of the original theatre. The Globe Theater serves as an active theater and exhibition documenting the history of William Shakespeare and his works.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater is located on the picturesque South Bank of the Thames River, in one of London’s oldest historical areas. Formerly, the local area was home to many distilleries, breweries, and wharves. In present day, much of the industrial activity has diminished yet many of the alleyways, factories, and slums still remain today.

Five of the Globe Theater’s attractions include:

1. Theater Level – The Theater Level is where the famous plays were performed. It has been reconstructed to capture its original appearance and is an actual stage where Shakespeare’s plays are performed today during the summer season. Visiting the Theater level provides a visual reference from standing areas that the commoners occupied, just yards away from the actors and the stage.

2. A Shakespeare Play – There’s no better way to enjoy the gifts of William Shakespeare than to attend one of his plays at the Globe Theater. This will be an experience of a lifetime as you view a classic Shakespeare play in the same Victorian setting as the Londoners did over four hundred years ago. Purchase tickets on their website.

3. Swords & Swordplay Demonstration – View live demonstrations of Elizabethan swordplay and stage combat, as current drama students receive detailed instruction in the skills of using the two-hand sword, rapier and dagger, and broadsword.

4. Shakespeare’s Treasure – 37 paintings inspired by the plays of Shakespeare and paintings from the National Gallery of London. The mysterious artist A. Piper has created this collection using watercolor with oil, egg tempera and raw pigments, together with copper, silver and other materials such as Venetian glass, gold leaf and semi-precious metals.

5. Costume Dressing Display – The costume collection explains the process of designing, making and fitting costumes for Shakespeare’s stage, and for productions at the new Globe Theater.