Radio City Music Hall is the great Art Deco theatre of Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan, home of the Rockettes and their Christmas Spectacular. It opened in 1932, and its huge auditorium, with a curved ceiling that rises over the stage in a series of arches, is still one of the most striking interiors in New York. You can see Radio City Music Hall in two ways: by buying a ticket for a show, or by joining a guided tour of the building on a day without a performance in the way.
Why visit Radio City Music Hall
The building is part of the original Rockefeller Center complex and was designed as a palace for ordinary people at a time when the Depression had hit the city hard. Everything is on a grand scale: the marquee on Sixth Avenue, the long lobby with its tall mirrors and chandeliers, the sweeping staircase and the stage itself. Concerts, comedy, award shows and film events take place here through the year, and even a modest gig feels like an occasion in this room.
Getting to Radio City Music Hall by subway
The closest station is 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr on the B, D, F and M lines, which runs under Sixth Avenue right beside the theatre. Follow the signs for Rockefeller Center and exit near 50th Street, and the marquee is on the corner.
Other nearby options:
- 49 St on the N, R and W, a few minutes' walk west on Seventh Avenue.
- 5 Av/53 St on the E and M, convenient if you are coming from Queens.
- Times Square stations, about a 10 minute walk away, if you need the 1, 2, 3, 7 or S lines.
After a big show the nearest stations get crowded, so walking a few blocks to another stop can be faster.
Radio City Music Hall tickets and tours
Show tickets are sold for each event, and prices vary widely depending on the performer, the date and the seat. The Christmas Spectacular runs from around November to early January and is the hall's best known production, with several performances a day at peak times. Book early for weekends and the weeks before Christmas.
The guided tour takes you through the lobby, the auditorium and backstage areas, and has often included a chance to meet a Rockette. Tours run on most days, but times shift around rehearsals and performances. The official website, radiocity.com, is the place to check show listings, tour availability and current prices. Buying through the official site or the box office avoids inflated resale prices.
Best time to visit and how long to allow
A tour takes roughly an hour, which fits easily into a Midtown sightseeing day. Morning tours tend to be calmer. If you want to see the Christmas Spectacular, weekday performances earlier in the season are usually easier to book than the days around Christmas itself.
December is magical around Rockefeller Center but very crowded. If you are visiting then, give yourself extra time to get through the streets between the subway and the theatre, and arrive well before the show for security checks.
Highlights inside Radio City Music Hall
The Great Stage
The stage is famous for its size and its hydraulic lifts, which raise and lower whole sections of the floor during shows. The arches above it are designed to look like a sunset.
The Grand Foyer
A tall lobby with a large mural, a grand staircase and huge chandeliers. It is one of the finest Art Deco spaces in the city.
Art and design details
Lounges and restrooms were designed by different artists of the period, each with its own murals and furniture. Tours often point out these smaller spaces.
The marquee
The neon sign on Sixth Avenue is a classic photo, best after dark when it is lit.
Nearby on the same subway stop
- Rockefeller Center: the plaza, the skating rink in winter and the Christmas tree in season.
- Top of the Rock: the observation decks at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a couple of minutes' walk away.
- St. Patrick's Cathedral: on Fifth Avenue, across from Rockefeller Center.
- Museum of Modern Art: a few blocks north on 53rd Street.
To see more around the station, open Radio City Music Hall on Around the Metro, or explore other stops on the New York subway map.