I wrote previously about how to get the best deals on Boston Symphony Orchestra tickets (which I have yet to take advantage of…I need to get on that), and mentioned that there was a way to get into Symphony Hall for free.  This past Wednesday, I took the free Symphony Hall Tour and I can now highly recommend it.

The tours take place during the Symphony’s season (October through May) on most Wednesdays at 4:00 PM and the second Saturday of every month at 2:00 PM.  Double check the schedule here. Fill out the tour RSVP form so they can get an idea of how many to expect.

The tour includes an exhaustive history of the Symphony and the building itself, and a tour backstage.  The friendly tour guide fellow was full of fun facts (alliteration!)  If you’re at all interested in how a professional symphony orchestra operates or how you build the best music hall in the world, you should check this out.

Boston Symphony Hall Free Tour

Boston Symphony Hall Free Tour
The lack of smooth surfaces in the hall is for acoustic reasons.

Boston Symphony Hall Free Tour

Boston Symphony Hall Free Tour
Percussionists’ View

Boston Symphony Hall Free Tour
We were able to visit the orchestra library where scores are stored and prepared

Boston Symphony Hall Antique Instruments
A collection of antique instruments are on display in the hall.  Shown here are serpents.

You can see all of my photos from the tour on my Flickr.