Short answer: A daytime visit to the Minack Theatre costs £12 booked in advance or £14 on the door, with under-16s half price. Parking is free for the length of your visit. Visits start at 10am and it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays from November to February. The theatre is steep with lots of steps. Dogs on short leads are welcome in the day, not at shows.
The Minack Theatre is an open-air theatre cut into the cliff above Porthcurno Bay, near Penzance, with gardens, a café and a visitor centre. It is rated 4.8 from 14,599 Google reviews. You can visit in the day without seeing a show, and this guide covers prices, parking and the steps.
The Minack's opening times and prices page lists these daytime visit prices:
Online bookings carry a £2 fee per transaction. Entry is by timed slot, and the Minack asks you to arrive within 30 minutes of your ticket time. Book through the Minack opening times and prices page, or ring the box office on 01736 810181 (10am to 4pm).
Visits start at 10am. From November to February the theatre is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The closing time varies: the page says the theatre closes 60 minutes after the start of the last visiting slot, and on the day we read it, it showed 10am to 5pm with last entry at 3.30pm. It may close early on performance days, so check the date before you travel.
Parking at the Minack is free for the duration of your visit. Space is limited, so do not arrive too early: daytime visitors can park from 30 minutes before their slot, and show-goers from 90 minutes before the performance. The Minack says it may not be able to admit you if you turn up earlier.
There is no shade in the car park, so the Minack asks you not to leave dogs in the car in hot weather. Beach visitors have a separate option, the Porthcurno Beach car park (TR19 6JF), which is not the Minack's.
Watch the sat nav. The Minack says satnav directions from Penzance send you through St Buryan on the B3283, which has narrow sections and is congested in summer. Its advice is to stay on the A30 through Sennen, ignore the satnav at the junction, go straight on to the B3315 and turn left. Buses 1, 1a and 1b serve Porthcurno, followed by a short, uphill walk to the theatre.
The Minack does not give a number. It does say the theatre "is steep and uneven with lots of steps" and asks for sensible shoes with low heels. The main auditorium and stage are reached by long flights of steps. In the garden, the paths are also uneven. Reviewers say the climb is worth it, but leave extra time if anyone in your group tires on steps.
Partly. Step-free routes reach all the upper levels of the site, the visitor centre, the exhibition and the café, and there are accessible parking bays near the entrance and one accessible toilet. For performances there is an accessible balcony, booked by phone on 01736 810181, with limited spaces. An induction loop is available on the lower grass terraces and the balcony. Prams, buggies and car seats are not permitted in the theatre itself, so carry small children or use a sling.
Dogs on short leads are welcome during visiting hours. At performances only trained assistance dogs are admitted. Our guide to dogs at the Minack Theatre has more on the difference.
Visits go ahead in most weather, but the site is open and exposed, so wear a waterproof. For shows, the Minack says "We play in the rain!" and cancels only in extreme conditions, contacting ticket holders by text. Umbrellas and sunshades should not be used during performances. Bring a rug or coat for evenings, since it can be cold after a warm day, plus a cushion because the seating is stone.
Yes. The café serves light refreshments during visiting times, and you need a visit ticket to use it. For shows, you can bring your own food and drink, but the Minack does not sell alcohol.
For the setting, yes. The theatre is the sort of place people stay for a long time: the Minack says that once inside you can stay as long as you like, within closing times. It suits couples, gardeners and anyone who likes cliff views, and is less suited to anyone who cannot manage steps or who is pushing a pram. A daytime visit pairs well with a beach stop at Porthcurno and with the rest of the far west: see our Minack family guide, our Land's End visitor guide and the Penzance page for nearby places to eat and stay.
£12 booked in advance or £14 on the door, with under-16s half price. Online bookings carry a £2 fee per transaction.
Yes, the Minack says parking is free for the duration of your visit, but space is limited so don't arrive early.
Dogs on short leads are welcome during visiting hours. At performances only trained assistance dogs are admitted.
Yes. The theatre is steep and uneven with long flights of steps to the auditorium and stage. Step-free routes reach the upper levels, visitor centre, exhibition and café.
No. Prams, buggies and car seats are not permitted in the theatre.
From November to February it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check the date before you travel, as it can close early for performances.
Times, prices and dates are the businesses' and organisers' to change, so check before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Pick a town and plan the day around who's with you.
Browse all Cornwall town guides →