Boston Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Ave., Fenway-Kenmore, Boston, Massachusetts
Home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Hall is considered one of the top classical music venues in the United States. A US National Historic Landmark, the hall is also known for its beautiful interior and is considered to have one of the best acoustics of any music hall in the world.
The Boston Symphony Hall features a classical design, with columns on the exterior, Greek and Roman statues lining the interior, and an impressive 4,800-pipe organ. The hall seats 2,625 people during the Boston Symphony season, and 2,371 during the Pops season, including 800 seats at tables on the main floor.
The best way to experience the Boston Symphony Hall is to catch a performance here. Or go behind the scenes on a free hour-long guided tour of the historic building.
- Children under the age of five are not permitted to attend Boston Symphony or Boston Pop concerts.
- Cameras and recording devices cannot be used in the symphony hall during performances.
- While there is no dress code, formal attire is requested for certain performances and many guests will be dressed in semi-formal or business attire.
- The hall offers seats that can accommodate wheelchairs, as well as assistive listening headsets, and Braille and large-print programs.
The Boston Symphony Hall is accessible by car via Highway 93, and there are several paid parking garages nearby. By public transportation, take the Heath Street/Brigham Circle E Green Line train Symphony stop, or the #1 Massachusetts Avenue bus to Symphony Hall.
While different performances have different timings, doors typically open 60 minutes prior to showtime and guests should plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior. Latecomers will be seated at a suitable break. Free walk-up tours of the hall are also available on select weekdays at 4pm and certain Saturdays at 3:30pm. Check the schedule for the exact timing and to RSVP.
The Boston Symphony Hall was one of the first halls to be designed in accordance with acoustics principles. An ideal reverberation time was determined and the plans for the hall were built around that, utilizing an optimal shape and space between the rows of seats. The stage walls, ceilings, and floor also slope inward to help project the sound to the audience. The side balconies were also made shallow to avoid trapping or muffling the sound.
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