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Manhattan Center
1906
Est.
Midtown Manhattan · 34th Street
Manhattan
Center
311 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 · History. Grandeur. Performance.
About the Venue
Where history meets the spotlight
3,500
Max Capacity
50K
Square Feet
75ft
Ceiling Height
2
Grand Ballrooms
Built in 1906 by Oscar Hammerstein I as the Manhattan Opera House, the Manhattan Center is one of New York City's most storied and versatile event destinations. Occupying nearly an entire Midtown city block at 34th Street and 8th Avenue, it houses two magnificent ballrooms, world-class recording studios, and state-of-the-art production facilities — all under one historic roof.
Home to the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom and the intimate Grand Ballroom, the Manhattan Center has hosted everyone from David Bowie to Bono, from WWE Raw to America's Got Talent. Performers have called its natural acoustics the best in the world.
With richly restored pre-war architecture, hand-painted ceilings, ornate woodwork, and opera boxes, the Manhattan Center seamlessly merges its theatrical past with 21st-century broadcast and production technology.
The Spaces
Two grand rooms.
Infinite possibilities.
01
Hammerstein Ballroom
Up to 2,500 Guests
A 12,000 sq ft former opera house with a 75-foot ceiling, hand-painted murals, three balconies, and ornate woodwork. Tied directly to in-house recording studios and video control rooms for live broadcast events.
02
Grand Ballroom
Up to 1,000 Guests
A 10,000 sq ft jewel on the seventh floor with 40-foot vaulted ceilings and world-renowned acoustics. Since 1926 it has served as NYC's premier scoring stage, hosting Bowie, Bon Jovi, Timberlake, and Sheryl Crow.
03
Manhattan Center Studios
Full Production · TV & Audio
Multiple soundstages, isolation booths, and TV studios connected directly to both ballrooms. Industry-leading consoles, mixing suites, and post-production capabilities make it one of New York's finest production houses.
Events
Concerts, galas, TV tapings,
and everything between.
Live Concerts
Corporate & Private Events
TV & Film Productions
Fashion Shows
Audio Recording Sessions
Weddings & Social Events
History
Born to
outshine
the Met
1906
"The acoustics here are the best in the world." — Performers across generations
1906
Oscar Hammerstein I constructs the Manhattan Opera House at 311 West 34th Street, boldly challenging the Metropolitan Opera with cheaper seats for everyday New Yorkers. Within four years the Met pays him $1.2 million to stop competing.
1922
The Freemasons purchase the building and add the Grand Ballroom on the seventh floor. In 1926, Warner Brothers uses it to record the 107-piece New York Philharmonic for the film Don Juan — the first commercial film with a recorded musical soundtrack.
1940
The building is renamed the Manhattan Center and becomes a Midtown hub for big band dances, trade shows, and social functions — cementing its reputation as the city's most versatile event space.
1986–Today
Manhattan Center Studios is formed, transforming the venue into a multimedia powerhouse. The Hammerstein Ballroom is renovated in 1997, and the complex now hosts concerts, WWE Raw, America's Got Talent, fashion weeks, and hundreds of live events every year.
Location
Find Us
Address
311 West 34th Street
Midtown Manhattan
New York, NY 10001
Midtown Manhattan
New York, NY 10001
Transit
A, C, E trains to 34th St–Penn Station.
1, 2, 3 trains to 34th St–Penn Station.
B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W to 34th St–Herald Sq.
1, 2, 3 trains to 34th St–Penn Station.
B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W to 34th St–Herald Sq.
Phone
212.279.7740
Website
mc34.com
