The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall Reopens To The Public

The Music Center today announced the reopening of the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall and its beautiful outdoor spaces to the public, and the resumption of free self-guided audio tours that provide visitors with the history and behind-the-scenes anecdotes surrounding the building's construction. The tour uses updated technology to make it easier for Angelenos and guests to learn about the Concert Hall's history from conception to completion.

Narrated by Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor John Lithgow, the tour offers an in-depth and comprehensive exploration of the Concert Hall and provides insight from visionary architect Frank Gehry and other key contributors, including Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen; acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota; daughter of principal donor Lillian Disney, Diane Disney Miller; and landscape designer Melinda Taylor. Visitors can use personal smartphones or Podcatchers provided onsite to access fascinating facts about the building's interior, gardens and the creative processes and technology involved in the Concert Hall's creation.

"As The Music Center slowly reopens its doors to the community and tourists alike, we are very pleased to offer an updated audio tour with new, more inclusive options for people to learn about the rich history of one of Los Angeles' most iconic buildings and to get an insider's perspective on the reasoning and rationale behind the building's design and ground-breaking architecture," said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center.

The 60-minute audio tour starts in the Grand Lobby where visitors learn about Frank Gehry's architectural choices of interior wooden "tree trunks" and exterior curved stainless steel, as well as a Lillian Disney-inspired carpet pattern in the upper-level lobbies. Some of the most notable spaces of Walt Disney Concert Hall that visitors can explore and learn about in more detail include BP Hall, the pre-concert program space designed for smaller programs and events; the Ira Gershwin Gallery, a collection display from The Library of Congress that rotates every six months; and the garden skylight, Walt Disney Concert Hall's largest skylight showing the contrast of the finished surfaces and the raw structural elements. As audiences venture into The Blue Ribbon Garden, they learn exactly how it was constructed 35 feet above the ground and explore the nearly one-acre community garden and its vast amount of plants. Audiences have access to all these spaces and can also learn about some of the more minute details that make Walt Disney Concert Hall unique.

Safety remains The Music Center's top priority. For the safety of the community and Music Center staff, Music Center ushers and designated tour staff at Walt Disney Concert Hall continue to wear face coverings during the hours of tour operation. Additionally, in accordance with L.A. County guidance, face coverings are required indoors and recommended outdoors for those who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Music Center's four theatres, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, recently received the UL Verified Healthy Buildings Mark for Indoor Air Quality, validating The Music Center's commitment to the safety of its staff, artists and visitors. Visit musiccenter.org/safety for more information about The Music Center's safety and security measures.

The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall guided tours and Music Center Symphonians full campus tours are temporarily unavailable and will resume at a later date. For more information about tours at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall, visit musiccenter.org/visit/Exploring-the-Center/.

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