Destination Spotlight

Radio City Music Hall

Located in historic Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall is one of the largest indoor theaters in the world. Since it opened in 1932, the Music Hall has welcomed more than 300 million people to enjoy the many events and shows available – that’s more than the population of the entire country. For nearly five decades, the Music Hall entertained the public with a movie-stage format. When the movie business became unprofitable, plans were made to tear the building down. After a great public outcry and signed petitions from all around the country, the building was renovated and re-opened in 1979. Today, it houses stage shows, concerts from top performers, special television events, etc.

Interesting Facts:

• For 65 years, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the famous Rockettes, has been an annual tradition. Over one million patrons attend this show every year, making it the world’s biggest live event.
• The state-of-the-art stage in the auditorium has four hydraulic elevators to carry performers and musicians either below or above the stage, a three-section turntable, and measures a full city block wide. The orchestra and two organs can be moved behind the walls or under the floor without interrupting the orchestra’s playing.
• The chandeliers in the lobby are considered to be the largest in the world, each weighing 2 tons, and can be lowered for cleaning simply by pushing a button. It takes a six-person work crew eight hours to clean one chandelier.

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Radio City Music Hall