Theatres in Munich allow you to get dressed to the nines, enjoy a classical night out with your family or beloved and catch live music, plays, musicals and opera. Germany, and especially Munich, is a cultural hub in Europe, famed for centuries of performing arts and culture, and at the many different venues in this city, you can see everything from the biggest modern pop stars to stand-up comedy routines to classical operatic performances by world-famous divas. It's a luxurious, refined and thrilling way to spend an evening enjoying local culture.
Munich is a haven for the arts, and that includes musical theatre, opera and live performances. Check out some of the best theatres in Munich to see a show here.
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Deutsches Theater
See one of Munich’s largest, most revered theatres
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Deutsches Theater is a major venue in the heart of Munich that showcases traditional and classical performances including operas and operettas, ballets and musicals with international names. This historic theatre has hosted some of the best shows in the city for over 120 years. Besides major productions with both local and touring casts, the theatre also features variety shows, vaudeville-style performances, magicians and circus troupes. It’s the home of the annual carnival in Munich and hosts many high-society gatherings and ballroom events throughout the year.
The theatre is steps away from public transport and offers food and beverages before and between acts. It seats around 1,500 people and is among the largest theatres in the city.
Location: Schumannstraße 13A, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 284410
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National Theatre of Bavaria (Bayerische Staatsoper)
Visit the home of the Bavarian State Opera
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The National Theatre of Bavaria (Bayerische Staatsoper) in the heart of the city centre has showcased major works of German ballet and opera for over 200 years. It’s the home of the Bavarian State Ballet (Bayerisches Staatsballett) and Bavarian State Opera, and for over 120 years has housed the Prinzregententheater, which is focused almost entirely on the works of Richard Wagner. King Maximilian I commissioned this theatre, and it opened in 1818 before being ravaged by fire and rebuilt in 1825.
It was heavily renovated in 1930. Today it features a stunning neoclassical edifice, seats 1,200 people and still features the original foyer and grand staircase.
Location: Max-Joseph-Platz 2, 80539 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 21851025
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Prinzregententheater
See one of Munich’s largest, most opulent venues
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Prinzregententheater in the Bogenhausen district is among the largest theatres in Munich, offering everything from concerts to cabaret, classical opera and a host of other diverse events. The theatre is renowned for providing a perfect view of the stage from any seat in the house. The auditorium in its Big Building (Großes Haus) has stadium-style seating, and the venue offers some of the best acoustics around. It’s also a distinctive combination of art nouveau and classical architecture both outside and in.
The theatre opened in 1901 and has hosted such major events as the Richard Wagner festival, and is the former home of the Bavarian State Theatre Company. It’s about 10 minutes east of the Munich city centre.
Location: Prinzregentenpl. 12, 81675 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 218502
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Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz
See authentic folk theatre and musical comedy
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Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz was established in the mid-1800s by King Ludwig II to provide a theatre for the people and today is a primary venue for operas and musical theatre. It was approved in 1864 and completed in 1872, becoming the third Bavarian royal theatre in Munich. It has been renovated several times, most notably to repair bombing damage during World War II. It is primarily dedicated to presenting musical folk theatre such as operettas and musical comedy, and is regarded as among the greatest venues of its type in the city.
The theatre also showcases employees through monthly podcasts and audio samples of most performances. It’s directly in the heart of the city centre.
Location: Gärtnerpl. 3, 80469 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 21851960
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Münchner Volkstheater
See a true emblem of the city’s cultural scene
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Münchner Volkstheater is a venue that specialises in classical and contemporary dramas and comedies portrayed in a popular, accessible way with a 'theatre for all' approach. This venue has seen some of the most important auteurs of the 20th century cross its stage including Ödön von Horváth and Bertolt Brecht. It’s divided into 2 venues: the primary Volkstheater and the secondary, smaller Nachtkastl theatre. The original venue was sponsored by the city and opened in 1983 with 609 seats.
A new theatre was commissioned in 2017, and the current building opened in October 2021, covering nearly 18,000 square metres. It hosted an inaugural performance of 'Edward II' that month. It’s 10 minutes southwest of the city centre.
Location: Tumblingerstraße 29, 80337 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 5234655
Mapphoto by Muenchnervolkstheater (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
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Residenz Theatre
Attend a prestigious theatre with modern productions
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Residenz Theatre is the home of the Bavarian Playhouse and the Bavarian State Drama Company, and is among the bigger and more prestigious theatre venues in the city. The programme here changes daily, and it varies wildly from classical Shakespeare to traditional drama to modern musical theatre and everything in between, but with an emphasis on contemporary playwrights.
A design highlight is the 'Silver Cloud' lighting installation by artist Ingo Maurer, which is a focal point of the foyer and a magical sight upon entry. The theatre is split into 3 venues. The primary venue seats 881, while the Cuvilliés Theatre seats 437 and the smallest Marstall seats about 146. All 3 houses are located in the city centre.
Location: Max-Joseph-Platz 1, 80539 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 21851940
Mapphoto by Burkhard Mücke (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
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Comedy at the Bayerischer Hof
See a comedic drama at a private boulevard theatre
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Comedy at the Bayerischer Hof (Komödie im Bayerischen Hof) offers 560 seats and a diverse lineup of productions in an elegant hotel with high drama and belly laughs together. This venue is a primary icon of boulevard theatre at its best, and it showcases some of the finest entertainment in the city, with well-known performers not just from Germany but from all over the world. It opened in 1961 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in the autumn of 2011. To this day it’s owned and operated by the same family.
Komödie im Bayerischen Hof is in the heart of the city centre. It seats 578 and is a completely private theatre with no subsidies, which is quite an accomplishment.
Location: Promenadepl. 6, 80333 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 29161633
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Munich Kammerspiele (Münchner Kammerspiele)
Check out a historic theatre in the city
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The Munich Kammerspiele (Münchner Kammerspiele) theatre company was founded in 1912 and offers a historic locale with a wide range of varied productions in every style. This theatre launched the career of Bertolt Brecht and is seen as one of the most important traditional theatre companies in German-speaking countries. Huge names from the international theatre scene have graced this stage including Robert Wilson, George Tabori and Franz Xaver Kroetz. It’s a 3-time winner of the Theatre of the Year award by Theater Heute magazine.
It’s the first theatre to have ever showcased the famed play 'Drums in the Night'. It’s in the heart of the city centre.
Location: Maximilianstraße 26, 80539 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 23396600
Mapphoto by Christian Wolf (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
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Munich Children Theater (Münchner Theater für Kinder)
Visit an important family-friendly venue
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Munich Children Theater (Münchner Theater für Kinder) has staged charming family-friendly theatrical performances for over 50 years, from 'Sleeping Beauty' to 'Pinocchio' and beyond. This magical venue showcases shows for kids ages 4 and up, and the programme changes twice daily, with up to 14 different productions going on at any one time. Here you can see a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, original stories by famed writers Janosch or Astrid Lindgren and even musicals and operas.
Originally in Leopoldstrasse, in 1977 it moved to its current location on Dachauer Straße. It’s about 15 minutes northwest of the city centre.
Location: Dachauer Str. 46, 80335 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 595454
Mapphoto by Eine kleine Zauberflöte (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
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Cuvilliés Theatre
See a jewel of rococo-style design
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Cuvilliés Theatre is a historic venue that once hosted Napoleon himself and is famed as the very first rococo theatre in Munich, offering elegant surroundings for operas, operettas and plays. The original theatre opened in the late 1700s to replace one that had burned to the ground. It was celebrated as a jewel of rococo design.
After a period of decline in the 1800s that led to a temporary shutdown, it was reopened in the mid-19th century by King Maximilian II as a cultural centrepiece of the city. It was nearly destroyed in World War II and was rebuilt in grand style. Today it offers exquisite decor and is a jewel of the theatre scene in the city centre.
Location: Residenzstraße 1, 80333 München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 290671
Mapphoto by Luca Florio (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified