The Traveling Wheelchair

301 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Phone:  617-266-1492
Disability Services: 617-638-9431
Website: http://www.bso.org/

Ric, Kellie, my roommate Josh and I went to the Boston Pops – Holiday Pops at Boston Symphony Hall and had a marvelous time! It’s the first time I’ve been to Boston Symphony Hall and was quite impressed with the magnificent music conducted by Keith Lockhart.

Boston Symphony Hall is known as one of the finest concert halls in the world and the building is an historical building. Even though the building is old and historical, the management has done a fairly good job making it accessible to persons with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities can call Boston Symphony Hall Disability Service line 617-638-9431 to ask about specific disability services. The Access Service Center, located at the Huntington Avenue entrance has assistive listening headsets, wheelchairs, Braille, large-print programs, and emergency medical equipment. The staff assists patrons with disabilities to and from their seats or with any other request.

There are two main entrances, one on Huntington Avenue and the other on Massachusetts Avenue. Both entrances have steps in front of the entry doors. Upon arriving we discovered a patron in a wheelchair must enter the front side Box Office entrance which is located on Massachusetts Avenue. This Box Office entrance has automatic doors with a simple push button of a button that has a wheelchair accessible symbol.

Once inside this entrance I took a wheelchair lift to the main lobby level. This lift can only fit one person so you will need to go up alone. This lift takes you to the main lobby in front of the Massachusetts Avenue entrance. Once in this lobby I realized I couldn’t access Symphony Hall from here because the two doors leading to the hall have steps with no lift.

Therefore I had to wheel all the way to the other side of the lobby through another door that lead me to a rear hallway. There are two doors off this rear hallway that have wheelchair accessible ramps with railings which brings you into Symphony Hall. These ramps look like they were recently added. Once inside Symphony Hall I had to wheel up the aisles all the way to the front which is right next to the main lobby’s entry doors and the wheelchair lift I took up to access the lobby. My friends and I believe wheelchair access would have been much easier if they had installed a ramp at one of the main lobby entry door to the Symphony Hall located close to the wheelchair lift.

Symphony Hall is long, narrow, and high, in a rectangular shape. We finally made it to our section with the help of ushers who kindly asked other patrons to move so my chair could wheel by. The ushers were very attentive, courteous and kind. Once at our section we were seated at a table close to the main stage. Our section consisted of all tables that are of a good wheelchair accessible height. My view of the stage excellent and I really enjoyed the Holiday Pops. The stage of Symphony Hall is very beautiful and simple with cream paneling and gold organ pipes.

We had our dinner at our table while listening to the magnificent music. Our waitress was very kind, courteous and respectful; the food and service was great. We thought the price of the food and drinks were very reasonable too. We wanted to take some pictures but were told no pictures or videos are allowed. We had already taken  a few pictures which are in this review.

The restrooms are off the rear hallway where we entered for there is a ramp at the two doors here. In order to access the restroom, I once again had to wheel all the way to the other side of Symphony Hall to access these restroom. The ushers were very helpful and kindly asked other patrons to move for my chair to pass by. The restrooms are spacious, wheelchair accessible and fully ADA compliant.

I give Symphony Hall FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the Fifth Star, they would simply need to place an accessible ramp at the entry door in the lobby that is close to the wheelchair lift for this would provide more convenient wheelchair access to the Hall and and to restrooms as well so a patron in a wheelchair does not need to disturb other patrons. I give the Symphony Hall ushers FIVE STARS for their kindness, sensitivity and helpfulness! The Holiday Pops deserves Five Stars. The music was outstanding.