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Symphony Hall, Boston, MA

Photo: MyCatIsAChonk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Theatre & EventsDate NightIconicRainy-Day Pick

Symphony Hall

301 Massachusetts Ave · Boston, MA

Why you should go…

Symphony Hall opened in 1900 to a design by McKim, Mead and White and is home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. The Handel and Haydn Society and other ensembles perform here too. Above the stage sits a 4,800-pipe Aeolian-Skinner organ installed in 1949, and during Pops season tables replace seats on the main floor. Free public walk-up tours start in the Box Office Lobby on Massachusetts Avenue and cover public spaces plus some behind-the-scenes areas when available.

  • #concert hall
  • #classical music
  • #boston symphony orchestra
  • #boston pops
  • #historic landmark

Good to know

General theatre & events guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Curtain time is firm

    Latecomers are commonly held at the back until a scene break, so build in a buffer.

  • Study the seating chart

    Price and sightline vary a lot within the same house. A few rows back can be the better seat.

  • Rush and lottery seats exist

    Many venues release same-day tickets at a discount if you are flexible about where you sit.

  • Arrive with time to spare

    Parking, bag check, and finding your row all take longer than you think on a full house.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Symphony Hall, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Mother Church

    Free

    Historic Christian Science headquarters in Boston with free public tours.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Shopping
    Iconic

    Prudential Center

    Free

    Back Bay shopping and dining complex with more than 70 stores and the View Boston observation deck.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Tours
    Family Favorite

    Boston Duck Tours

    $25–$50

    Ride a WWII-style amphibious vehicle through historic streets, then splash straight into the Charles River.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    View Boston

    $25–$50

    Boston's highest observation deck, 360-degree views from the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Theatre & Events
    Date Night

    Shalin Liu Performance Center

    $25–$50

    Ocean-view concert hall in Rockport hosting chamber music, jazz, and more.

    32 mi awayMore like this

  • Theatre & Events
    Date Night

    Providence Performing Arts Center

    $50+

    See touring Broadway shows and concerts inside a 3,100-seat 1928 movie palace in downtown Providence.

    40 mi awayMore like this