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Nashville · Venue

Ryman Auditorium

A 2,362-seat Nashville concert hall where restored church pews, deep country-music history, and a cross-genre calendar meet.

Upcoming shows
57
Capacity
2,362
Address
116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, Nashville, TN 37219
Next show
Thu, 8 Oct 2026
Official siteDirections
Ryman Auditorium in Nashville

About Ryman Auditorium

Ryman Auditorium is Nashville’s 2,362-capacity seated concert hall, defined by original oak church pews on the main floor and balcony. Built for religious revival, it became the Grand Ole Opry’s home from 1943 to 1974, a run that gives the room’s country connection a precise foundation. For a show, the draw is an auditorium-scale crowd held in a historic, fixed-seat room built for listening.

A tabernacle, a long blackout, a return

Riverboat captain Thomas Green Ryman commissioned architect Hugh C. Thompson after hearing evangelist Sam P. Jones at a Nashville revival in 1885; the Union Gospel Tabernacle opened in 1892. After Ryman died in 1904, the building took his name. Its role shifted fully into music when WSM’s Grand Ole Opry arrived in 1943, remaining through March 1974.

The Opry’s departure left the hall largely empty for two decades, with tours and occasional tapings keeping activity alive. In 1991, Emmylou Harris recorded concerts there with the Nash Ramblers; the resulting Grammy-winning At the Ryman helped build momentum for restoration. An $8 million project added air conditioning, backstage facilities, dressing rooms, and a lobby, and the hall reopened as a music venue in June 1994. A Prairie Home Companion led the reopening programming.

Pews and a wide booking brief

Expect fixed, side-by-side pew seating across the main floor and balcony, plus accessible seats; downstairs pews date to 1895 and balcony pews to 1897, with restoration completed for the 1994 reopening. The booking brief spans country and bluegrass alongside rock, pop, hip-hop, R&B, indie, folk, comedy, talks, and other entertainment. Historic architecture meets contemporary sound and production systems, while Ford Lounge upgrades offer a bar-focused add-on.

Sources

  1. Historical Site Markers in Nashville — Metro Nashville and Davidson County
  2. Plan Your Visit — Ryman Auditorium
  3. The Ryman is the Soul of Nashville — Nashville Public Library
  4. Resolution No. RS2017-998 — Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County
  5. Selected Tennessee Historic Sites: Ryman Auditorium — Tennessee Secretary of State
  6. Frequently Asked Questions — Ryman Auditorium
  7. About — Ryman Auditorium

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