Before you ever watched your first horror movie, you probably learned one of the genre's undying truths: that, by turning out the lights, things instantly get spookier. That idea also proves accurate at The House After Dark, which sees the Sydney Opera House opening its doors for late-night tours.

Returning for a second season between Thursday, May 27–Friday, June 25 — after a successful first run between January–March — the new tour marks one of the rare occasions that you'll be able to explore the Opera House when all of its performers, patrons and staff have gone home. And, if that isn't eerie enough — because wandering through big public spaces when they're free from crowds is always a little disconcerting, as the pandemic has taught us — you'll also hear ghost stories, learn secrets about the site and discover all the mysterious occurrences that have taken place in the famed venue's halls. And, you'll mosey through hidden tunnels and passageways, too.

Tickets cost $55 per person, which includes drinks and dessert before the 90-minute tour. You don't want to roam around the place on an empty stomach, after all — or without a sip of something to bolster your courage.

Taking place on selected nights — ranging from Wednesdays to Saturdays, with exact days varying per week — each session kicks off at 10pm, with arrivals at the State Door at 9.45pm. There's a maximum of ten people per tour, so you won't have much company.

And, when tickets go on sale at 9am on Wednesday, May 19, getting in quick is recommended — as the first round of tours sold out quickly.

Trent Parke

Top image: Hamilton Lund.

Updated May 19.