Days Out NI
Theatre & gallery Armagh

The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre

Free gallery to wander, ticketed family shows to book, right in Armagh city centre.

5 photos
OpenBox office and exhibition area Mon-Sat 9.…
FreeBook ahead
ArmaghTheatre & gallery
Get directionsOfficial website
20-30 minutesHow long
FreeAdmission
Good for primar…Best for
On siteCafé
NearbyParking

The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre — Free gallery to wander, ticketed family shows to book, right in Armagh city centre.

  • Admission: Gallery free to enter during opening hours.
  • Tickets: Shows are ticketed and priced per production; book ahead. Check their listings for prices and dates.
  • For families: Children's and family shows, Christmas pantomime, plus workshops for nursery to post-primary ages.
  • Opening: Box office and exhibition area Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm; box office open later on performance evenings.
  • Café: The 4th Wall bar and restaurant on site.
  • Best for: Good for primary-age children; some shows aimed at the very young too.
Plan your visit

What's on for families

The gallery rotates exhibitions in its top-lit spaces, free to come and see while the building is open. The theatre side is where you'll book ahead: across the year the programme carries children's shows, family productions, dance, music and a Christmas pantomime. There are creative workshops and activities pitched at nursery, primary and post-primary ages, so older kids can make things as well as watch. Programmes change season to season, so the best move is to look at their own What's On listings for current shows, ages and ticket prices.

Free gallery Ticketed shows Family panto at Christmas Kids' workshops City centre Book ahead
Good to know before you go:

A venue like this runs a year-round programme of theatre, exhibitions, family shows and workshops, with a pantomime at Christmas. Dates and prices change through the seasons, so check their own listings before you go.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🎟️Your bookingShows and big exhibitions sell out — book ahead where you can.
  • 💷A bit of pocket moneyFor the café, the shop or a show programme.
  • 🧒An eye on the age guidanceSome shows and galleries suit certain ages best — check first.
  • 📱The what’s-on pageThe programme changes all the time — see what is on the day you go.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Admission
Gallery free to enter during opening hours
Tickets
Shows are ticketed and priced per production; book ahead. Check their listings for prices and dates
Family programming
Children's and family shows, Christmas pantomime, plus workshops for nursery to post-primary ages
Best for ages
Good for primary-age children; some shows aimed at the very young too
Opening
Box office and exhibition area Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm; box office open later on performance evenings
Cafe
The 4th Wall bar and restaurant on site
Toilets
Yes, including accessible toilets
Parking
City-centre car parking nearby
Accessibility
Fully accessible building with accessible seating; see their accessibility page for details
How long to allow
A quick gallery look is 20-30 minutes; allow longer if you're seeing a show
Address
Market Street, Armagh, Co. Armagh, BT61 7BW
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Gallery free to enter during opening hours
How do I get tickets?
Shows are ticketed and priced per production; book ahead. Check their listings for prices and dates
Is there anything for kids?
Children's and family shows, Christmas pantomime, plus workshops for nursery to post-primary ages
When is it open?
Box office and exhibition area Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm; box office open later on performance evenings
Is there a café?
The 4th Wall bar and restaurant on site
Getting there

The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre is at Market Street, Armagh, Co. Armagh, BT61 7BW. City-centre car parking nearby. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the venue

The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre opened in 2000 and was officially opened by Prince Charles. The award-winning building was designed to emulate Armagh's local limestone, with stone volumes arranged in the manner of a medieval town and top-lit gallery spaces inside.

It replaced a cinema that had been destroyed by a bomb during the Troubles, giving the city a purpose-built home for the arts. Inside there's a 400-seat main auditorium, a 120-seat studio, workshop and meeting rooms, and bars and restaurants.

Today it runs a year-long programme of drama, music, dance, spoken word, literature, visual art and workshops, and hosts the John Hewitt International Summer School each year.