Tanglewood seating plan 2027. Which seat suits you?
Is the lawn at Tanglewood worth it? Yes, if you want a relaxed picnic with music and don't need to see every player. The lawn holds around 15,000 people, screens show the orchestra and speakers on the Shed carry the sound. Under-18s get in free at BSO concerts.
Last checked: 2 November 2026, against the organiser's own information.
Location: Front centre, right in front of the stage
Rows: A–N
Seat: Fixed seats under the roof
View: You are closest to the orchestra. Visitor reviews say the Shed's rows rise only gently, so being close matters most for the view.
Tip: Pick Section 1 if you want to see the conductor and soloists up close.
Location: Front left and front right, beside Section 1
Rows: A–N
Seat: Fixed seats under the roof
View: Close to the stage, but you look at the orchestra at an angle from the side.
Tip: Section 2 has seats with flip-up armrests.
Location: Centre, behind Section 1
Rows: A–L
Seat: Fixed seats under the roof
View: You look almost straight at the stage and still see the whole orchestra well.
Tip: Both sections have wheelchair spaces.
Location: Left and right sides, middle distance
Rows: A–L
Seat: Fixed seats under the roof
View: You see the stage from the side.
Tip: These sections have wheelchair spaces, and Section 7 also has flip-up armrest seats.
Location: Left and right sides, further back beside the boxes
Rows: A–H
Seat: Fixed seats under the roof
View: An angled view from a middle distance.
Tip: Both have wheelchair spaces and flip-up armrest seats.
Location: An arc of 28 boxes in the middle of the Shed, between the front and rear sections. A box is a small separate area with a few seats.
Seat: Seats in separate boxes
View: Low-numbered boxes are in the centre facing the stage. High-numbered boxes are further out to the sides.
Tip: There is a wheelchair space at the back centre of the box row.
Location: Rear part of the Shed, from Sections 11 and 12 in the centre to Sections 19 and 20 on the far sides
Rows: Up to row W, for example rows A to W in Section 11
Seat: Fixed seats, still under the roof
View: Visitor reviews describe a clear but distant view. Sections 11 and 12 face the stage head-on. Outer Sections 19 and 20 are at a sharp angle.
Tip: You stay dry under the roof without paying for the front. Section 18 has flip-up armrest seats.
Location: The large lawn behind and beside the Shed
Seat: Open seating on a blanket or folding chair
View: The view depends on where you set up and how busy it is. LED screens on the lawn show the orchestra for everyone outside the Shed.
Entrance: Main Gate
Tip: The lawn area on the side of the Shed near the Round House Gate is reserved for people with access needs.
Location: A second, smaller hall at the other end of the grounds, with main floor rows B to Y, side boxes 1 to 12, and two balconies above.
Rows: B–Y (Parkett)
Seat: Teak seats
Entrance: Ozawa Gate / Bernstein Gate
Tip: There is no lift in Ozawa Hall. If you cannot manage stairs, book a seat on the main floor.
Shed-Sektionen 19 und 20 (außen); Rasen: No official source mentions pillars or posts blocking the view inside the Shed, so we do not list any. Keep in mind that the outer Sections 19 and 20 see the stage at a sharp angle. On the lawn the orchestra looks small and you mostly follow it on the screens.
The Shed was built in 1938. In 1959 a canopy of many triangular panels, the Edmund Hawes Talbot Orchestra Canopy, was hung above the orchestra. The redesign was led by acoustician Leo Beranek, and the canopy reflects sound back to the audience and the players; since then the Shed's acoustics have been called world-famous. Seiji Ozawa Hall is a wooden hall planned with acoustician Lawrence Kirkegaard.
The Shed has wheelchair spaces in Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and at the back centre of the boxes, plus companion seats and seats with flip-up armrests. Accessible parking is at the Main Gate. Small shuttle carts take you from the car park to the gate, and staff will push you around the grounds in a Tanglewood wheelchair for free, except on the steep slope by the Lions Gate. Ozawa Hall has no lift, so its wheelchair spaces are on the ground floor. Assistive listening devices are available from the ushers.
Frequently asked questions about Tanglewood
Is the lawn at Tanglewood worth it?
Yes, if you want a relaxed picnic with music and don't need to see every player. The lawn holds around 15,000 people, screens show the orchestra and speakers on the Shed carry the sound. Under-18s get in free at BSO concerts.
Can you bring chairs to the lawn at Tanglewood?
Yes. Chairs and blankets are not on the banned list. Only tents and canopies are. If you don't bring one, you can rent a lawn chair for $10 or a table for $7 near the Welcome Center, the Beer Garden by the Shed or next to Ozawa Hall (cards only).
Where are the best seats in the Tanglewood Shed?
The centre is best, so choose Sections 1, 4 and 5 or the middle boxes. Visitor reviews say the rows rise only gently, so being close matters. Sections 11 and 12 at the back still face the stage head-on, just from further away.
Can you hear well on the lawn at Tanglewood?
Yes. Tanglewood has sound amplification at the back of the Shed for lawn listeners, so you hear the music through speakers rather than directly as inside. The assistive listening devices only work inside the Shed and halls, not far out on the lawn.
What happens at Tanglewood if it rains?
The concert goes ahead and there are no refunds. A lawn ticket does not get you into the Shed unless a lightning emergency is announced, so bring a rain jacket and a small umbrella.