Carnegie Hall Seating Chart
Carnegie Hall is the concert hall at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It opened on May 5, 1891, and Tchaikovsky conducted on opening night. Architect William Burnet Tuthill had never designed a concert hall before. The main room, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, seats 2,804 on five curved levels, and the building also holds Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall.
Quick answer
Carnegie Hall's main room, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, seats 2,804 on five levels, according to the hall. The building has two smaller halls: Zankel Hall seats 599 and Weill Recital Hall seats 268. Wikipedia splits the main room into 1,021 Parquet seats, 264 First Tier, 238 Second Tier, 444 Dress Circle and 837 Balcony.
- The main room has five levels, from the Parquet up to the Balcony.
- There is no elevator to the Balcony.
- Bags should be no bigger than a standard backpack.
- There is no dress code.
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Sections at Carnegie Hall
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall's main room, has five levels, numbered from the floor up. The rows, seats and boxes below are read off the hall's 2026 seating chart.
- Parquet — the main floor, level 1, rows A to Z and then AA to CC
- Blavatnik Family First Tier — level 2, boxes with odd numbers 1 to 65
- Second Tier — level 3, boxes with even numbers 2 to 62; boxes 2 to 14 and 50 to 62 sit on the sides
- Dress Circle — level 4, seven rows lettered AA to GG
- Balcony — level 5, Center Balcony rows A to Q and Side Balcony on each side
Best seats at Carnegie Hall
We found no official best-row guide, but Carnegie Hall's own article walks through each level. It says Parquet seats near the stage may mean looking up, since the stage sits a few feet above them. The Dress Circle has somewhat steep steps, and some Balcony seats have less legroom, because the seating plan has not changed since 1891. On the chart, many Side Second Tier and Side Balcony seats are marked for a blocked or partial view, or tight legroom.
Tips before you go
Bags should be no bigger than a standard backpack, about 18 by 12 by 8 inches, and all bags may be inspected. Coat check costs $2 per item, but Weill Recital Hall has none. There is no dress code, and every guest, including babies, needs a ticket or a confirmed RSVP. The hall can refuse entry to latecomers, so arrive early. Subway stops near the hall include 57th Street–Seventh Avenue, 59th Street–Columbus Circle, Seventh Avenue, and 57th Street–Sixth Avenue.
How to read the Carnegie Hall seating chart
In the Parquet, rows run from A to Z with no row I, then AA to CC at the back. On the chart, center seats are numbered 101 to 114. One side runs odd from 1 to 25 and the other even from 2 to 26.
The two box levels use box numbers, not rows. First Tier boxes take odd numbers and Second Tier boxes even ones. Most boxes hold eight loose chairs, and boxes 17 to 49 on the First Tier have an anteroom.
Elevators reach the Parquet, First Tier, Second Tier and Dress Circle, but not the Balcony. Dress Circle elevator service stops once a show starts. Free listening devices are lent in all three halls with an ID as a deposit.
Building a seating chart for an event at Carnegie Hall
Zankel Hall opened in 2003 and seats 599, and the hall warns you may feel a slight rumble from the subway. Weill Recital Hall seats 268 in a 196-seat orchestra and a five-row balcony. The 1986 renovation closed the main hall from May 18 to a December 15 gala reopening.
Hosting a private event at Carnegie Hall?
From dinner rounds to program rows to head tables, lay out your Carnegie Hall event the way the room will actually run. The maker supports up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF for the New York venue's event staff.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- How many seats does Carnegie Hall have?
- Carnegie Hall's main room, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, seats 2,804 on five levels, according to the hall. The building has two smaller halls: Zankel Hall seats 599 and Weill Recital Hall seats 268. Wikipedia splits the main room into 1,021 Parquet seats, 264 First Tier, 238 Second Tier, 444 Dress Circle and 837 Balcony.
- What are the best seats at Carnegie Hall?
- We found no official best-row guide, but Carnegie Hall's own article walks through each level. It says Parquet seats near the stage may mean looking up, since the stage sits a few feet above them. The Dress Circle has somewhat steep steps, and some Balcony seats have less legroom, because the seating plan has not changed since 1891. On the chart, many Side Second Tier and Side Balcony seats are marked for a blocked or partial view, or tight legroom.
- What sections does Carnegie Hall have?
- Main sections include: Parquet — the main floor, level 1, rows A to Z and then AA to CC; Blavatnik Family First Tier — level 2, boxes with odd numbers 1 to 65; Second Tier — level 3, boxes with even numbers 2 to 62; boxes 2 to 14 and 50 to 62 sit on the sides. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Carnegie Hall located?
- Carnegie Hall is at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. The Stern Auditorium entrance is off the 57th Street box office lobby, and Zankel Hall is entered from Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets.
- How do I plan a private event at Carnegie Hall?
- The hall rents its three stages and rooms like the Weill Terrace Room, which seats 230 for dinner. Lay out the Carnegie Hall gala tables in our free chart maker.