Merrill Auditorium Seating Chart
Merrill Auditorium is Portland, Maine's main concert hall, built inside City Hall in 1912 and home to the Portland Symphony Orchestra and the Kotzschmar Organ. The intimate two-balcony hall is prized for its acoustics and its historic municipal-building setting.
Sections at Merrill Auditorium
Merrill Auditorium's seating bowl is organized into the following main sections. Section layout differs by event — a sports configuration and a concert configuration of the same arena are not the same chart.
- Orchestra — main floor, rows A-Z
- First Balcony — lower tier
- Second Balcony — upper tier
- Box Seats — side boxes
- Organ-side sections
- Accessible seating
Best seats at Merrill Auditorium
Orchestra center rows H through P give the best blend of the symphony's sound and a full stage view. The first balcony front rows are excellent here — close, elevated, and ideal for hearing the Kotzschmar Organ.
Tips before you go
Merrill sits inside Portland's City Hall downtown, within walking distance of the Old Port restaurants — make a dinner-and-show evening of it. Street and garage parking are nearby, but arrive early on symphony nights to find a spot.
How to read the Merrill Auditorium seating chart
Merrill Auditorium seats 1,900 on stacked levels facing the stage, so reading the chart means thinking in tiers rather than rings. The orchestra — the main floor — sits closest to the stage; above it the mezzanine and then the balcony step back and up, and box seats line the sides. Lower row letters are nearer the stage, center sections face it square on, and side sections trade a straight view for a lower price.
Three things decide a Merrill Auditorium seat: how far from the stage you are, whether you sit center or off toward a side aisle, and which level you are on. For a theater this size, the value sweet spot is usually the front of the mezzanine at center — an unobstructed, elevated view of the whole stage without orchestra-row prices. Watch for overhang and any "partial view" note on your seat, and cross-check the official Merrill Auditorium map before you buy.
Building a seating chart for an event at Merrill Auditorium
Hosting a suite night, a group outing, or a private event in the Portland area? A seating chart keeps the group organized before you ever reach the gates. Map your party onto tables that mirror the suite or section layout, assign each guest a spot, and export a PDF so everyone knows where they sit. For a private event in a banquet space near Merrill Auditorium, the same tool lays out rounds, banquet tables, and head tables, then prints a chart the venue's event-services team can work from. Capacity at Merrill Auditorium runs to 1,900 for its main configuration, but most private events use a fraction of that in a club, suite, or adjacent hospitality space — exactly the scale the maker below is built for.
Hosting a private event at Merrill Auditorium?
Build your own seating chart for the event — banquet rounds for the dinner portion, theater rows for the program, whatever the format calls for. The Seat Chart App maker handles layouts up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF to share with the venue's event team.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- How many seats does Merrill Auditorium hold?
- Merrill Auditorium has a capacity of 1,900 seats. Capacity varies by event configuration — a concert may use floor seating that a basketball game doesn't, and a private buyout uses a different count than a public event.
- What are the best seats at Merrill Auditorium?
- Orchestra center rows H through P give the best blend of the symphony's sound and a full stage view. The first balcony front rows are excellent here — close, elevated, and ideal for hearing the Kotzschmar Organ.
- What sections does Merrill Auditorium have?
- Main sections include: Orchestra — main floor, rows A-Z; First Balcony — lower tier; Second Balcony — upper tier. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Merrill Auditorium located?
- Merrill Auditorium is in Portland, Maine. Check the venue's official website for the exact address, parking options, and public transit access closest to your seat section.
- How do I plan a private event at Merrill Auditorium?
- For private events, build a seating chart that maps to the venue's section layout using the Seat Chart App maker below. Drop tables to match your event's footprint within the venue's space, assign guests, and export a PDF to share with the venue's event-services team.