10 Best Theaters in Munich

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 theater has hosted some of the best shows in the city for over 120 years. Besides major productions with both local and touring casts, the theater 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 theater is steps away from public transportation and offers food and beverages before and between acts. It seats around 1,500 people and is among the largest theaters in the city.

The National Theater 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 theater, 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.

Prinzregententheater in the Bogenhausen district is among the largest theaters in Munich, offering everything from concerts to cabaret, classical opera and a host of other diverse events. The theater 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 theater opened in 1901 and has hosted such major events as the Richard Wagner festival, and is the former home of the Bavarian State Theater Company. It’s about 10 minutes east of the Munich city centre.

Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz was established in the mid-1800s by King Ludwig II to provide a theater for the people and today is a primary venue for operas and musical theater. It was approved in 1864 and completed in 1872, becoming the third Bavarian royal theater 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 theater such as operettas and musical comedy, and is regarded as among the greatest venues of its type in the city.

The theater also showcases employees through monthly podcasts and audio samples of most performances. It’s directly in the heart of the city centre.

Münchner Volkstheater is a venue that specializes in classical and contemporary dramas and comedies portrayed in a popular, accessible way with a 'theater 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 theater. The original venue was sponsored by the city and opened in 1983 with 609 seats.

A new theater was commissioned in 2017, and the current building opened in October 2021, covering nearly 18,000 square meters. It hosted an inaugural performance of 'Edward II' that month. It’s 10 minutes southwest of the city centre.

Residenz Theater is the home of the Bavarian Playhouse and the Bavarian State Drama Company, and is among the bigger and more prestigious theater venues in the city. The program here changes daily, and it varies wildly from classical Shakespeare to traditional drama to modern musical theater 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 theater is split into 3 venues. The primary venue seats 881, while the Cuvilliés Theater seats 437 and the smallest Marstall seats about 146. All 3 houses are located in the city centre.

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 theater 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 theater with no subsidies, which is quite an accomplishment.

The Munich Kammerspiele (Münchner Kammerspiele) theater company was founded in 1912 and offers a historic locale with a wide range of varied productions in every style. This theater launched the career of Bertolt Brecht and is seen as one of the most important traditional theater companies in German-speaking countries. Huge names from the international theater scene have graced this stage including Robert Wilson, George Tabori and Franz Xaver Kroetz. It’s a 3-time winner of the Theater of the Year award by Theater Heute magazine.

It’s the first theater to have ever showcased the famed play 'Drums in the Night'. It’s in the heart of the city centre.

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 program 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.

Cuvilliés Theater is a historic venue that once hosted Napoleon himself and is famed as the very first rococo theater in Munich, offering elegant surroundings for operas, operettas and plays. The original theater 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 centerpiece 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 theater scene in the city centre.