Macao to Turn Heritage Theatre into Immersive Cultural Stage

Kathmandu. The Macao Special Administrative Region government will upgrade the Dom Pedro V Theatre and develop the heritage site into a venue for immersive stage performances.

O Lam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region government, announced the plan during a press event held at the theatre on Tuesday. She said the project will use the historic venue, which is part of the “Historic Centre of Macao” inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as a stage to present Macao’s more than 400 years of cultural exchange between East and West.

The Dom Pedro V Theatre was built in 1860 and is regarded as China’s first Western-style theatre. Over the years, the venue has been associated with music, dance, stage performances, film screenings and cultural activities in the local community.

O said Macao’s cultural confidence is rooted in the enduring heritage of Chinese civilization. She described the Dom Pedro V Theatre as an example of Macao’s multicultural heritage and cultural confidence.

According to O, Macao has preserved traditional Chinese culture while also developing a multicultural environment. She said the city’s historic landmarks, traditional festivals, folk customs and community practices reflect a distinctive blend of Chinese and Western cultural influences.

O also outlined plans to promote the integrated development of education, technology and talent. She said Macao will use its role as an international platform to attract talent from Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries, as well as other parts of the world.

She added that Macao will deepen cooperation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In this context, the Macao-Hengqin International Education Town has been presented as a major initiative.

The first phase of the Macao-Hengqin International Education Town is scheduled to begin operations in August 2026. In the initial phase, around 1,300 postgraduate students from three public universities will study and live on the campus.

The education town is expected to gradually expand to accommodate about 20,000 students. O said the project will serve as an important platform for integrating education, technological innovation and talent development.

The Macao government’s plans show an effort to advance heritage protection, cultural performance, higher education and international talent attraction together. The upgrading of the Dom Pedro V Theatre and the development of the Macao-Hengqin International Education Town are being presented as part of Macao’s broader efforts to strengthen its cultural identity, educational capacity and regional cooperation.