Ryman Auditorium Seating Chart
Ryman Auditorium is the concert hall known as the Mother Church of Country Music, at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. It opened in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle and took the name of riverboat captain Thomas Ryman after his death in 1904. The Grand Ole Opry played here from 1943 to 1974, and the Ryman lists a capacity of 2,362, seated mostly on what it calls its original oak pews. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2001.
Quick answer
Ryman Auditorium holds 2,362, according to the Ryman. On the official seat map, that splits into 1,298 seats on the Main Floor in sections 1 to 8 and 1,064 in the Balcony in sections 9 to 16. Almost all seating is the Ryman's wooden pews, with accessible seating on both levels.
- Rows are letters, and I and O are skipped.
- In most rows, seat numbers start at 1.
- Entry is by AXS Mobile ID only.
- Parking is across the street at Fifth + Broadway.
Planning a group dinner on Broadway before a Ryman show? Seat 30 guests at 5 tables free, no signup.
Sections at Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman has a Main Floor and a curved Balcony, with 16 numbered sections between them. The rows and seat counts below are read off the official seat map on the Ryman's website.
- Main Floor — sections 1 to 8, with lettered rows from the stage back
- Balcony — sections 9 to 16, rows starting at A
- Front of section 3 — two short rows, AA and BB, at the stage edge
- Pews — the main-floor pews date from 1895 and the balcony pews from 1897
Best seats at Ryman Auditorium
We found no official best-seat guide. A National Park Service landmark file, drawing on a 1979 survey, says the balcony rests on iron posts and starts above the 10th row of benches on the main floor. That means seats farther back sit under the balcony. On the official map, main-floor rows run as letters to Z, while the balcony rows run from A to between L and Q, read off the map. The Ryman says artists may ask fans to stand in front of their seats.
Tips before you go
Oversized bags and backpacks aren't allowed, and every concert guest passes through a walk-through weapons detector. Your AXS Mobile ID in the AXS app is the only way in, and the box office helps guests without a smartphone. AXS says doors usually open an hour before showtime and re-entry isn't allowed. The entrance is on the Fourth Avenue side, and the Ryman has no public parking lot.
How to read the Ryman Auditorium seating chart
Main Floor sections 1 to 8 use letter rows, with I and O skipped. Center section 3 starts at row B, with two short rows, AA and BB, in front, and the back rows reach V, X or Z.
Balcony sections 9 to 16 all start at row A and end between rows L and Q. In most rows, seat numbers start again at 1, read off the map.
Accessible seating is on the Main Floor and in the Balcony, and one elevator in the lobby reaches the balcony. If you buy an accessible seat, you can also buy one companion seat next to it.
Building a seating chart for an event at Ryman Auditorium
A sign reading Confederate Gallery once hung across the balcony; it was removed in 2017 and moved to a museum exhibit. The 1994 renovation added air conditioning and moved the entrance to Fourth Avenue, and a $14 million expansion opened in 2015 without changing the original hall. Daytime tours run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with shorter hours on some dates.
Hosting a private event at Ryman Auditorium?
Sketch your Ryman Auditorium event in minutes — rounds for dinner service, rows for the presentation, a head table where it belongs. Up to 500 seats per layout, finished as a print-ready PDF the Nashville event team can work from.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- What is the capacity of Ryman Auditorium?
- Ryman Auditorium holds 2,362, according to the Ryman. On the official seat map, that splits into 1,298 seats on the Main Floor in sections 1 to 8 and 1,064 in the Balcony in sections 9 to 16. Almost all seating is the Ryman's wooden pews, with accessible seating on both levels.
- What are the best seats at Ryman Auditorium?
- We found no official best-seat guide. A National Park Service landmark file, drawing on a 1979 survey, says the balcony rests on iron posts and starts above the 10th row of benches on the main floor. That means seats farther back sit under the balcony. On the official map, main-floor rows run as letters to Z, while the balcony rows run from A to between L and Q, read off the map. The Ryman says artists may ask fans to stand in front of their seats.
- What sections does Ryman Auditorium have?
- Main sections include: Main Floor — sections 1 to 8, with lettered rows from the stage back; Balcony — sections 9 to 16, rows starting at A; Front of section 3 — two short rows, AA and BB, at the stage edge. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Ryman Auditorium located?
- Ryman Auditorium is at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, Nashville, TN 37219, half a block off Broadway. Self-parking for Ryman events is at Fifth + Broadway, across the street at 179 Rep. John Lewis Way North.
- How do I plan a private event at Ryman Auditorium?
- The Ford Lounge upgrade adds food, an open bar and a Hatch Show Print poster to a show ticket. Plan your group's pre-show dinner tables in our free chart maker.