It opened in 1932 as the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and is now the headquarters of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Adjoining it is the Swan Theatre (1986), with a Jacobean apron-style stage and galleried seating, within the shell of an earlier theatre largely destroyed by fire in 1926. The Royal Shakespeare Company Collection includes paintings, sculpture and historic theatre material. Backstage tours can be arranged.

A 15C building, home to a Museum of Costume, ranging from the 18C to the present day.

The Hodson family still has a lock workshop here (dating from the early 20C) with original tools. The boutique where Edith and Flora Hodson sold their novelties gives an idea of the daily life of this time. The collection of locks is presented upstairs.

The oldest part of the Guildhall was built in the 14C and the remainder in the 16C. It was the site of the last stand of the Leicester Parliamentarians during the Civil War. The building contains one of the earliest public libraries in England.