His Majesty's Theatre, Edwardian Baroque theatre in central business district, Perth, Australia

His Majesty's Theatre is an Edwardian Baroque theatre on the corner of Hay Street and King Street in Perth's central business district. Built of reinforced concrete, the four-storey complex opened in 1904 with a 65-room hotel separated from the auditorium by internal iron doors. The horseshoe-shaped auditorium originally seated 2,584 people across stalls, dress circle, upper gallery and private boxes, with a raked stage measuring 20 by 23 metres.

The theatre was constructed between 1902 and 1904 during Perth's gold rush era and opened on Christmas Eve as the largest performance venue in Australia at that time. Its completion marked a turning point for the city, establishing a major cultural landmark that reflected Perth's growing importance.

The theatre is named after King Edward VII, crowned in 1901. Its opening night on Christmas Eve 1904 featured Pollard's Adult Opera Company in The Forty Thieves, but the date was poorly chosen and the house was not full. Since the late 1970s it has been the home of West Australian Ballet and West Australian Opera.

The theatre offers regular guided tours where visitors can explore the building's architectural features and learn about its technical systems and operations. Plan ahead to find out when tours are scheduled, as they run at set times throughout the week.

The building was the first in Perth to use reinforced concrete construction, marking an important advancement in local building techniques of that era. This innovative method was crucial for the structure's strength and longevity.