Beloved for its acoustics, intimacy, and beauty, NEC's Jordan Hall has been at the center of Boston's musical life since its opening on October 20, 1903. The 1,013-seat hall was a gift of Conservatory trustee Eben D. Jordan 2nd and was designed by architect Edmund Wheelwright. The original cost was $120,000.
Carefully preserving the hall's unique acoustics and architectural qualities, the restoration—begun on May 2, 1995, and completed in October 1995 at a cost of $8.2 million—made Jordan Hall barrier free, updated climate control systems and installed silent, state-of-the-art air conditioning, repaired the hall's seats, and restored its interior to its original 1903 splendor. Ann Beha Associates led the design team for the restoration of Jordan Hall. Kirkegaard & Associates were acoustic engineers for the project.
Designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior National Park Service in April 1994, NEC's Jordan Hall has won numerous awards since it restoration in 1995, including the 1996 Massachusetts Historical Commission Preservation Award, the Victorian Society in America's Preservation Commendation, the 1996 Boston Preservation Alliance Award, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Award of Merit, and the Illuminating Engineering Society 1996 Lumen Award
Public Transportation
Via Green Line
Take the Green Line "E" train to the Symphony stop. Walk one block west on Huntington Avenue, towards the YMCA. Take the first left, onto Gainsborough Street. Jordan Hall is on the right. Note: this station is not wheelchair accessible.
Via Orange Line
Take the Orange Line to Massachusetts Avenue. Exit the station via the covered end of the platform and take a left onto Massachusetts Avenue. Walk to the first set of lights, at St. Botolph Street. Take a left onto St. Botolph Street and walk to the end of the block. Jordan Hall is located diagonally on the right. Note: this station is wheelchair accessible.
Via Bus
Convenient buses include #1, #CT1, and #39.
Driving
Traveling east on the Massachusetts Turnpike, Route I-90, take Exit 22 to the Prudential exit, surface onto Huntington Avenue, continue straight through the light, go under or cross Massachusetts Avenue, and turn left at the traffic light onto Gainsborough Street.
Traveling north on Route I-93, take exit 18 to Massachusetts Avenue and continue north for six blocks. Turn left just before the white Symphony Towers onto St. Botolph Street and go one block to Gainsborough Street.
Parking
There is very limited metered parking available on Gainsborough Street, St. Botolph Street, Huntington Avenue, and St. Stephen Street. We recommend using public transportation whenever possible.
Uptown Garage (10 Gainsborough Street)
From Copley: West on Huntington Avenue. Cross Massachusetts Avenue, passing Symphony Hall on the right. Left at the first traffic light onto Gainsborough Street. Pass NEC on the right. Uptown Garage is the next building on the right.
Westland Garage (35 Westland Avenue)
From Copley: West on Huntington Avenue. Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue. Take the first left onto Westland Avenue. Circular parking garage is on the right, above Bread and Circus.
Handicapped Parking
There are city-designated handicapped parking spaces near NEC: Two spaces next to the entrance to NEC at 290 Huntington Avenue; two spaces on Huntington Avenue outside the Cohen entrance to Symphony Hall; one space on St. Stephen Street next to the backstage entrance to Symphony Hall. Because of the large number of music and theater presentations in the area, these spaces may not be available to Jordan Hall patrons.