Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

The Esplanade opened in 2002 on reclaimed land at Marina Bay, two rounded halls clad in a double skin of glass and some seven thousand aluminium sunshades angled to keep out the tropical sun. The angles gave the buildings a spiked texture that Singaporeans immediately compared to durian, and the nickname stuck permanently. Inside are a concert hall and a theatre, plus free performances in the foyers most evenings and a roof terrace over the bay.

What you actually see

• The sunshades - seven thousand angled aluminium panels forming the spiked skin.
• The free performances - concerts in the foyer and outdoor theatre most evenings.
• The roof terrace - a public deck with a view across Marina Bay.
• The concert hall - a 1,600-seat hall with an adjustable acoustic canopy.

When to go

Year round; free foyer performances run most evenings and are worth timing for. The roof terrace is best at sunset. Major festivals fill the calendar through the year.

Honest expectations

The main halls are seen only with a ticket. The building is at its best from outside and from the terrace. Marina Bay is crowded and hot in the middle of the day.

Nearby

Marina Bay Sands is across the water, and the Civic District is west.