How the Opera House tours differ
There is not one tour but a small family of them. The standard tour is the one most visitors book. It lasts about an hour and runs every day according to the tour calendar. The others go deeper into one subject: design, food, drawing, the backstage world or step-free access.
A tour is not the same as a ticket for a performance. A tour shows you parts of the building in the daytime. Which halls you enter depends on what is happening in the house that day. If seeing a particular hall matters to you, a performance ticket is the surer route, and the tickets page explains how that works.
This is an independent guide. It does not sell tours and is not connected to the Sydney Opera House. Prices are in Australian dollars (AUD), as listed in 2026, and they change. No tours run on 25 December 2026 and 31 December 2026.
Tour options compared
Adult prices booked ahead, as listed in 2026. Prices on the day are higher.
| Tour | Length | Language | Adult price | From 1 April 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard tour | About 60 minutes | English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin | AUD 50 | AUD 52 |
| Architectural Tour | About 75 minutes | English | AUD 60 | AUD 65 |
| Tour and Dine | About 60 minutes plus a meal | As the standard tour | AUD 84 | – |
| Backstage Tour | 135 minutes | English | AUD 199 | AUD 210 |
| Taste of the House | 240 minutes | English | AUD 395 | – |
| Mobility Access Tour | 60 to 75 minutes | English | AUD 50 | AUD 52 |
| Draw the House | 75 minutes | English | Free, with a refundable AUD 20 deposit | – |
Not every language runs every day, so check the calendar for your date. Children aged 5 to 15 pay less, and under 5s go free on the standard tour. The next sections give the details.
Our picks: tours compared
A guided tour, a tour with a meal and a harbour summit climb.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in Australian dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Guided daytime summit climb of the Harbour Bridge
A small group with a guide who gives history commentary. A printed group photo and a cap are included.
Check availability →One-hour Opera House tour with a meal and drink
A guide with headset, one dish and one drink. Extra food and drinks cost more, and large luggage cannot be stored.
Check availability →
Opera House guided tour with entry
A live guide and entry to the building. A cloakroom takes small bags and prams; large luggage cannot be stored.
Check availability →Sydney Opera House tours
Guided tours of the building, food and drink experiences and harbour combinations, with live prices and availability.
The tour types in detail
What each one involves and who it suits.
Standard tour
It starts at the Welcome Centre on the Lower Concourse, and you should arrive 15 minutes early. Expect up to 2.5 km on foot and about 300 steps, so it is not suitable for wheelchairs or walkers. Which halls you visit depends on the day's schedule. Booking ahead is recommended, but it is not a requirement.
Architecture →Architectural Tour
A deeper look at design and structure, in English only. It runs on Saturdays at 08:15 and 10:00 and on selected Sundays at 10:00, subject to the calendar. It follows a route with stairs. Adults pay AUD 60 booked ahead and AUD 65 on the day.
History →Tour and Dine
The tour of about 60 minutes is combined with food and a drink from a set menu. The current partners are Opera Bar, Midden by Mark Olive and Winnie's. You eat before or after the tour, between 11:30 and 18:00. Adults pay AUD 84 booked ahead and AUD 91 on the day; children AUD 45 and AUD 50.
Getting there →Taste of the House
A four-hour food experience in English for guests aged 18 and over, at AUD 395 per person with a maximum of 12 people. It must be booked ahead, and there is no same-day sale. The meeting point is the Stage Door. Vegetarian and alcohol-free options are possible if you say so when you book.
Draw the House
A guided drawing session of 75 minutes for all ages and levels. Bring your own sketchbook and dry materials. It is a free event with registration: you pay AUD 20 per transaction, which is refunded after you attend. A maximum of 2 tickets per person. Sessions run on set dates, so check the calendar.
Mobility Access Tour
A step-free route in English, daily at 11:30 and 14:45. Prices match the standard tour: AUD 50 adult, AUD 30 child, AUD 40 concession and AUD 130 family. Auslan and audio description are available on request. Allow 60 to 75 minutes and confirm the meeting point when you book.
Standard tour prices in full
Booked ahead and on the day, as listed in 2026.
| Ticket | Ahead, to end of March 2027 | On the day, to end of March 2027 | Ahead, from 1 April 2027 | On the day, from 1 April 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | AUD 50 | AUD 55 | AUD 52 | AUD 57 |
| Child (5 to 15) | AUD 30 | AUD 35 | AUD 32 | AUD 37 |
| Concession | AUD 40 | AUD 45 | AUD 42 | AUD 47 |
| Family (2 adults, 2 children) | AUD 130 | AUD 145 | AUD 136 | AUD 151 |
Children under 5 go free. Children up to and including 15 must be accompanied by an adult. The concession rate is for holders of an Australian Seniors Card, Australian pensioners and full-time students aged 16 and over, so do not assume that foreign pensioners qualify. The Architectural Tour costs AUD 60 for adults, AUD 33 for children, AUD 46 for concession and AUD 153 for families when booked ahead, rising to AUD 65, AUD 45, AUD 55 and AUD 175 from 1 April 2027.
Which tour should you pick
A short guide by type of visitor.
First visit, one hour free
The standard tour. It is the cheapest and the most flexible, with seven languages on offer.
You like buildings
The Architectural Tour on a Saturday morning, or read the architecture page first.
You want to see how it works behind the scenes
The Backstage Tour at 07:00. Group size is capped at 12 and the start is early.
Backstage Tour →You use a wheelchair or cannot manage stairs
The Mobility Access Tour. The standard tour has about 300 steps and does not take wheelchairs or walkers.
Sydney Opera House tours: frequently asked questions
Should I book ahead?
Booking ahead is recommended, and it is also cheaper: the standard tour is AUD 50 booked ahead against AUD 55 on the day for adults until the end of March 2027. It is not a general requirement, but Taste of the House and the Backstage Tour must be booked in advance.
Will I see the Concert Hall or the Joan Sutherland Theatre?
That depends on what is happening in the house that day. A tour cannot promise any particular hall. If you want to sit in one, a performance ticket is the reliable way.
Is there a tour in German?
The standard tour is offered in English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin. Not every language is available every day, so look at the calendar for your date.
Is the standard tour suitable for wheelchairs?
No. It covers up to 2.5 km and about 300 steps and does not take wheelchairs or walkers. The Mobility Access Tour uses a step-free route.
Are tours running over Christmas and New Year?
No tours run on 25 December 2026 and 31 December 2026. The forecourt has its own ticket rules on New Year's Eve; see the New Year's Eve page.