Woolsey Hall

Woolsey Hall is the primary auditorium at Yale University. Woolsey Hall, which seats 2,695 people, was built as part of the Yale bicentennial celebration in 1901. The architects were Carrère and Hastings, designers of the New York Public Library. The ornately decorated hall is home to the Newberry Memorial Organ, one of the most renowned orchestral organs in North America. This hall serves as the main performance venue for the New Haven Symphony ... more

Woolsey Hall is the primary auditorium at Yale University. Woolsey Hall, which seats 2,695 people, was built as part of the Yale bicentennial celebration in 1901. The architects were Carrère and Hastings, designers of the New York Public Library. The ornately decorated hall is home to the Newberry Memorial Organ, one of the most renowned orchestral organs in North America. This hall serves as the main performance venue for the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Yale Bands, the Yale Symphony Orchestra, the Yale Philharmonia, the Yale Glee Club, and many smaller, student-run ensembles such as a cappella singing groups and the Davenport Pops Orchestra. The hall's lack of draperies, carpeting and upholstered seats all contribute to its superior acoustics for musical performance, though the acoustics work far more in favor of the organ than for any other sound. Woolsey Hall predates any major studies within the field of acoustics, so aside from its large size and high ceiling, it has no... less