The Pavilion was built in 1929 as a combined ballroom, restaurant, and theatre, in a restrained Portland-stone art-deco style with a copper-domed clock tower. It was a key piece of Bournemouth's reinvention as a sophisticated holiday destination -- the theatre staged its first show, Charley's Aunt, on Easter Monday 1929.
It still operates as a regional touring venue, with West End musicals, ballet, opera, and the annual Christmas pantomime. The original ballroom is still in use for dances. The cliffside terrace beside the building has views down to the pier and out to sea.