Symphony Hall

Symphony Hall opened on October 15, 1900. It was the first concert hall designed with acoustical principles in mind and is regarded as one of the two or three finest halls in the world. With the exception of the wooden floors, the Hall is built of brick, steel, and plaster, with only a moderate amount of decoration.

The first home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra was the Old Boston Music Hall which was threatened in 1893 by a city road-building/rapid transit project. That summer, the Orchestra’s founder, Major Henry Lee Higginson, organized a corporation to finance a new and permanent home for the orchestra. Symphony Hall opened on October 15, 1900, with an inaugural gala led by music director Wilhelm Gericke. The architects, McKim, Mead & White of New York, engaged Wallace Clement Sabine, a young assistant professor of physics at Harvard, as their acoustical consultant, and Symphony Hall became the first auditorium designed in accordance with scientifically derived acoustical principles.

Widely regarded as one of the two or three finest concert halls in the world, the walls of the stage slope inward to help focus the sound. The side balconies are shallow so as not to trap any of the sound, and the recesses of the coffered ceiling, along with the statue-filled niches along the three sides, help to distribute the sound throughout the hall. The 16 replicas of Greek and Roman statues are related in some way to music, art, or literature. They were placed in the niches as part of ... view more »

Symphony Hall opened on October 15, 1900. It was the first concert hall designed with acoustical principles in mind and is regarded as one of the two or three finest halls in the world. With the exception of the wooden floors, the Hall is built of brick, steel, and plaster, with only a moderate amount of decoration.

The first home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra was the Old Boston Music Hall which was threatened in 1893 by a city road-building/rapid transit project. That summer, the Orchestra’s founder, Major Henry Lee Higginson, organized a corporation to finance a new and permanent home for the orchestra. Symphony Hall opened on October 15, 1900, with an inaugural gala led by music director Wilhelm Gericke. The architects, McKim, Mead & White of New York, engaged Wallace Clement Sabine, a young assistant professor of physics at Harvard, as their acoustical consultant, and Symphony Hall became the first auditorium designed in accordance with scientifically derived acoustical principles.

Widely regarded as one of the two or three finest concert halls in the world, the walls of the stage slope inward to help focus the sound. The side balconies are shallow so as not to trap any of the sound, and the recesses of the coffered ceiling, along with the statue-filled niches along the three sides, help to distribute the sound throughout the hall. The 16 replicas of Greek and Roman statues are related in some way to music, art, or literature. They were placed in the niches as part of an appreciation of the frequently quoted words, “Boston, the Athens of America,” written by Bostonian William Tudor in the early 19th century. The Symphony Hall organ, an Aeolian Skinner designed by G. Donald Harrison and installed in 1949, is considered one of the finest concert hall organs in the world.

A couple of interesting points for observant concert-goers: Beethoven is the only composer whose name was inscribed on one of the plaques that trim the stage and balconies; the other plaques were left empty since it was felt that only Beethoven’s popularity would remain unchanged. The initials “BMH” for “Boston Music Hall”, as the building was originally to have been called, appear on the stairwell banisters at the Huntington Avenue side, originally planned as the main entrance. The old Boston Music Hall was gutted only after the new building, Symphony Hall, was opened.

It seats 2,625 people during the BSO season and 2,371 during the Pops season.

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LOCATION

Symphony Hall

301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115

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Accessibility Information

Accessible Parking

On-street parking for patrons with disabilities is available on a first-come, first-served basis on St. Stephen Street near the Stage Door and on Huntington Avenue near the Cohen Wing. There is also space on Huntington Avenue near the Cohen Wing entrance reserved for drop-off and pick-up only.

Area parking garages offer spaces for patrons with disabilities; please contact individual garages for their specific accessible parking options.
Accessible Restrooms

All restrooms in Symphony Hall are accessible.
All Gender Restrooms

The restroom located on the second floor by the Berenak Room is single stall.
Braille

Braille programs are available by advance request only. To request a Braille program, contact us at 617-638-9431 or access@bso.org at least one week in advance of the concert date.
Drop Off

For our guests needing accommodations, we recommend arriving at the Cohen Wing entrance located at the front of Symphony Hall (251 Huntington Avenue), where there is a curb cut for wheelchairs and drop-off. Our trained usher staff will be able to assist as needed with entering the hall and finding your seat location.
Elevator

The elevator in the Cohen Wing brings patrons to all levels of Symphony Hall. The glass elevator on the Massachusetts Avenue side of the hall reaches the first and second balconies. A wheelchair-accessible ramp connects the Cohen Wing to the orchestra level.
Large Print

Large-print programs are available for every BSO concert from the ushers at the Massachusetts Avenue entrance.
Service Animal

Service animals only are welcomed in Symphony Hall. Patrons bringing their service animal to a concert should inform a representative when purchasing tickets at the Subscription Office (617-266-7575) or Ticketing and Customer Service (617-266-1200).
Volume Control Telephone

FM assistive listening devices are available free of charge; we offer both headsets and multi-channel receivers for Phonic Ear™. Please let an usher know if you need a device when entering the hall. Patrons are also welcome to use their own headset and receiver by setting their devices to the FM frequencies on 74.725 MHZ (channel #35) or 75.225 MHZ (channel #37)

Also available is an inductive hearing loop for patrons in the first and second balconies in the hall; these are accessible with any hearing aid or listening device equipped with a Telecoil..
Wheelchair Access

Wheelchairs are available upon request at the Cohen Wing entrance for patrons who need assistance getting to their seats. A staff member or an usher will assist you.

ADDITIONAL ACCESSIBILITY INFO: https://www.bso.org/symphony-hall/visit/accessibility

PARKING INFO

We recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero. To reserve your parking spot, visit the Boston Symphony Orchestra SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. Please note that parking spots include garages, valets, and independent spots.

Contact SpotHero customer service at 844-324-SPOT (7768) if you have any questions.