Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall, located at Seventh Avenue and West 57th Street in midtown Manhattan, gets it's name from well known philanthropist Andrew Carnegie who financed it's construction. It has been in operation since it opened in 1891. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill, it is renowned for its acoustics, and is one of the most famous venues in the United States for classical and popular music.

Carnegie Hall's main auditorium seats 2,804 and is five levels. The New York Philharmonic made it's home here from the Hall's opening in 1891 until it moved to the newly constructed Lincoln Center on Manhattan's upper west side in 1962.

With the Philharmonic moving out and after years of wear and tear, the building was slated for demolition. Under pressure from a group led by violinist Isaac Stern and others, special legislation was passed that allowed the City of New York to buy the site, and the nonprofit Carnegie Hall Corporation was formed to run it. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962.

In 1986, Carnegie Hall underwent a major renovation. Following completion of work on the main auditorium, there were complaints that the acoustics of the hall had been compromised. Finally, in 1995, the cause of the problem was discovered to be a slab of concrete under the stage which was subsequently removed. In 1997 the main hall was re-named The Issac Stern Auditorium in honor of the man who had worked so hard to save the building from the wrecking ball.