Bahrain National Theater opened in November 2012 under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The Bahrain National Theater hosted a number of global performances from some of the world’s foremost artists, such as the Orchestra of the 21st Century of Russia, legendary composer Yanni, Spanish opera superstar Placido Domingo, the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Ballets from Russia, and Il Divo.

In addition, the museum hosted a number of cultural activities, including the 39th Annual Bahrain Fine Arts Festival and Korean traditional costume fashion show, as well as press conferences and awards ceremonies.

Built on an area of about 12,000 m2 overlooking the sea, the 1,001-seat theater is located next to the Bahrain National Museum. Its unique architectural design and wood-covered interior walls draw inspiration from the tales of 1,001 Arabian Nights.

In addition to its main auditorium, the Bahrain National Theater contains a cafeteria and an outdoor hall which overlooks the lake, as well as a smaller hall which can accommodate up to 100 people used for training, press conferences, and small celebrations.

The Bahrain National Theater is one of the largest theaters in the Arab world, and is the third largest opera house in the Arab world after the Cairo Opera House in Egypt and the Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman.

Bahrain National Theater is considered the crowning achievement in the Kingdom’s longstanding efforts to enrich and develop local culture for many decades as evidenced by a history full of achievements, including establishing the first school in the GCC in 1925 and the first radio station in 1941, in addition to a large number of cultural halls and institutes.