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Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Radio City Music Hall Seating Chart.
Upcoming events at Radio City Music Hall
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Which Level to Book, in Short
At Radio City Music Hall, your choice comes down to the type of show. For the Rockettes and other big stage productions, book the center of the First Mezzanine, near its front rows: you see the whole stage, the kick line and the formations at once. For a singer or comedian, book the center orchestra from about mid-house forward, where you are closest to the performer without craning your neck.
The hall seats 5,960 people, and roughly 3,500 of those seats are on the orchestra floor. The other seats sit in three mezzanines that are unusually shallow, so even the highest rows face the stage squarely. In this building, a weak seat is almost always a distant or side-angle seat, rarely a blocked one.
Reading the Radio City Seat Map
The auditorium is an oval that narrows toward the stage. The proscenium (the arched frame around the stage opening) stands more than 60 feet high and 100 feet wide and was shaped to suggest a setting sun. The stage behind it is 144 feet wide. Each level splits into left, center and right sections.
- Orchestra: the ground floor, with a gentle rake (an upward slope toward the back). It holds more than half of all seats.
- First Mezzanine: the lowest balcony. Ramps climb to it from both sides of the stage, which makes the stage appear to reach out around the orchestra.
- Second Mezzanine: the middle balcony, looking down at the full stage floor.
- Third Mezzanine: the top level, the farthest away but still straight-on.
One detail matters if you want an aisle. Seating guides report that lower seat numbers fall on the right side of each section as you face the stage. Confirm the exact seat on the map before you buy.
Best Seats by Show Type
Rockettes and stage spectaculars
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is built around patterns: the long kick line, the toy-soldier fall and the large group formations read best from above. The production's own seat guide sums it up level by level. The orchestra offers an up-close look, the First Mezzanine gives a full view of the Great Stage, the Second Mezzanine shows the formations from above, and the Third Mezzanine works for the choreography and the overhead projections. The front rows of the orchestra feel thrilling, but you look up at the dancers and lose the geometry that makes the show.
Concerts and stand-up
With one performer and a microphone, proximity wins. Center orchestra from the middle of the house forward is the first choice. The center First Mezzanine comes next and often costs less than prime orchestra seats.
Televised and award nights
On broadcast nights, production staff and invited guests take large blocks, and camera platforms can sit in your line of sight. Buy only listings that state the section and row plainly.
Seats That Disappoint
- Deep rear orchestra. The mezzanines hang over the back of the orchestra. Seats far underneath feel boxed in and can lose the top of the proscenium and any overhead effects, a real loss at the Christmas show.
- Extreme sides on any level. With a stage 144 feet wide, a far-side seat watches everything at a sharp angle. A center seat one level higher usually beats a side seat one level lower.
- Rows around the soundboard. Seating guides note that a few rear orchestra seats near the mixing desk have partial obstructions.
- Top rows of the Third Mezzanine for quiet shows. Fine for a spectacle, less rewarding for an acoustic set where you want to see faces.
Every resale order through Reserved Seat is covered by a 100% guarantee, so if a listing's location is unclear, ask for a different seat rather than gamble.
Picking a Christmas Spectacular Date
The Christmas show has played the Music Hall every season since 1933, and its audiences have topped 73 million. The 2026 engagement is scheduled from November 4, 2026, through January 4, 2027. Its 230 performances are the most in the production's history, and the run adds one new scene.
Timing shapes your seat choice as much as the map does:
- Easiest: weekday morning and early-afternoon performances in early November.
- Busier: weekends throughout the run and Thanksgiving week.
- Heaviest: mid-December through New Year's Day, when resale demand climbs as each date nears.
If your family can be flexible, a weekday in the first half of the run gives you the widest pick of center mezzanine seats. Showtimes appear on the Rockettes seat map and schedule.
Subway, Doors and What to Leave at Home
The B, D, F and M trains stop at 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center, right beside the hall, which is by far the simplest approach. Midtown garages are expensive and traffic is slow; the venue suggests reserving a space in advance through SpotHero if you must drive.
You can enter from 50th Street or 51st Street, both just east of Sixth Avenue, or through the Box Office Lobby on Sixth Avenue between those streets, which is the accessible entrance. The following rules were posted as of fall 2026; confirm them on the Radio City FAQ page before you go.
- Bag size: clear bags are not required, but every bag must fit under your seat, nothing over 22 by 14 by 9 inches is admitted, and all bags go through an X-ray.
- Coats: there is no coat or bag check, so plan your winter layers for a December visit.
- Tickets: digital, shown on your phone. Phone-free events lock devices in pouches and use printed tickets.
- Re-entry: leaving ends your visit.
- Young children: under-2s may ride on a lap at most events, though certain family shows require a ticket for anyone older than 1.
Background Worth Knowing
Radio City opened on December 27, 1932, as part of the Rockefeller Center development. The showman Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel pushed for the oval auditorium, Edward Durell Stone designed the exterior, and Donald Deskey created the Art Deco interiors, including a Grand Foyer 165 feet long. The stage machinery was ahead of its time: a 50-foot turntable, three 70-foot elevator sections and a hydraulic orchestra pit.
Within weeks of opening, the hall became a movie palace pairing first-run films with stage shows, and it premiered pictures from King Kong to The Lion King. It nearly closed in 1978, was rescued by landmark protection, and dropped films for concerts in 1979. A 1999 restoration installed new seats and refreshed the ceiling and the famous curtain. Tishman Speyer owns the building and Madison Square Garden Entertainment operates it, so its calendar often pairs with Madison Square Garden across New York City. The Grammys, the Tony Awards and the NFL Draft have all been staged here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the First Mezzanine at Radio City worth the price?
For the Christmas show and other stage productions, usually yes. The center First Mezzanine shows the full stage and the Rockettes' formations at once, which the front orchestra cannot.
Are there obstructed-view seats at Radio City Music Hall?
A few. The deepest rear orchestra seats sit under the mezzanine overhang, and some seats near the soundboard are partly blocked. Most other weak seats are distant or angled rather than obstructed.
How big is Radio City Music Hall?
It seats 5,960, with about 3,500 on the orchestra floor and the rest in three mezzanines.
Which Christmas Spectacular dates are easiest to get?
Weekday morning and early-afternoon shows in early November typically have the most choice. The 2026 run is scheduled from November 4, 2026, through January 4, 2027.
Can I check a coat at Radio City?
No. As of fall 2026 there is no coat or bag check, and bags over 22 by 14 by 9 inches are not allowed. Check the venue's current policy before you go.
Where is the accessible entrance at Radio City?
The Box Office Lobby on Sixth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets is the accessible entrance.