Music Hall Tours FAQ

Indoor tours are offered year round while outdoor tours are only offered May - October. It is recommended that guests make a reservation and buy tickets in advance through the Cincinnati Arts Association or Music Hall box offices as space is limited. If space is available, tickets can be purchased the day of the tour.  All reservations must be paid for in advance. Please bring your confirmation with you as proof of purchase.

You may buy tickets online or call (513) 621-2787 [ARTS] to contact the ticket office. To purchase tickets in person, visit the Cincinnati Arts Association box office at the Aronoff Center for the Arts or Cincinnati Symphony Box office at Music Hall.

Aronoff Center Ticket Office, 650 Walnut Street
9:00am-5:30pm, Monday-Friday / 10:00am-1:00pm, Saturday
Free 10 minute parking at the green meters in front of the Aronoff Center on Walnut Street.

Cincinnati Music Hall Box Office
1241 Elm Street (South entrance close to Memorial Hall)
10am-5pm; Monday-Friday / 10am-2pm, Saturday (with extended hours on CSO concert days).
Free 10-minute parking available in front of Music Hall.

Tours meet and depart from Cincinnati Music Hall located at 1241 Elm St. between 12^th and 14^th streets, just across from Washington Park. Outdoor tours meet just across the street in Washington Park. At least one Friends of Music Hall Tour Guide will be checking registration 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Guides will be wearing badges, dark navy polos and carry a sign. They will give you identification as a tour participant for you to wear through the duration of the tour.

Yes! We are constantly running discounts through our social media so, “like” us on our Music Hall Facebook page for more information. Additionally, we offer 10% off tickets for OTR Chamber, Cincinnati Arts Association, Friends of Music Hall and Cincinnati Tourism Ambassador members. If you have any questions on how to use your discount please call 513-744-3293 or email Ramona Toussaint, Tour & Education Outreach Program Director at musichalltour@friendsofmusichall.org  Group and student discounts are also available.

Indoor tours are approximately 90-minutes length. Outdoor walking tours are typically 90-minutes. Because our tour guides encourage participation, the exact time of each tour varies. Tours are not recommended for small children. Music Hall is a working building so please know that repairs and/or other event related building activities are all part of the tour experience. Tour paths are subject to change.

Indoor building tours provide some opportunities to sit briefly. Our indoor tour is completely ADA accessible however, please let us know at the time of your reservation if you have trouble climbing minimal stairs.

Our outdoor building tour is a 360 degree walk around the building which is about the length and width of a football field. The route does not go up or down any stairs or hills.  Tour guests are expected to stay on their feet the whole time without assistance and there are no opportunities to sit along the tour route. All guests in your party are expected to have read the liability waiver when purchasing tickets.

We are happy to make reasonable accommodations for all people and the building is completely wheelchair accessible, tours are not recommended for very young children or people for whom walking is difficult without a walker or wheelchair.

Cincinnati Music Hall is 100% ADA compliant and the tour path accommodates those in walkers and wheelchairs. Tours are not recommended for those who find walking without such supports difficult. Tours are also not recommended for very young children.

Our outdoor building tour is a 360 degree walk around the building which is about the length and width of a football field. The route does not go up or down any stairs or hills.  Guests on the tour are expected to stay on their feet the whole time and there are no opportunities to sit along the outdoor tour route. All guests in your party are expected to have read the liability waiver when purchasing tickets.

Please email musichalltour@FriendsOfMusicHall.org, to contact Ramona Toussaint, Program Director, or call 513.744.3293, Monday – Friday between 9am-5pm to make arrangements that best serve your needs.

We do not stop at any restrooms or take any bathroom breaks during any of our tours. You are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before your start time to use the restrooms. Outdoor building tour guests should visit the park’s public restroom on the Race Street side of Washington Park as indoor restrooms will not be available.

Food and drink other than water are not permitted on any of our indoor tours. We encourage you to bring your own food and drinks if you would like refreshments for our outdoor tours. You are invited to pre-order and enjoy a picnic in the park from one of our restaurant partners after a tour (go to friendsofmusichall.org for more information). Open containers of alcohol are not permitted in public spaces and not permitted to be brought into the park from the outside. The bar on the deck at Washington Park will be available seasonally for your enjoyment and convenience.

Visit one of the nearby restaurants within walking distance of Music Hall or make it special with a “Pic-Tou” day (picnic lunch & tour) by adding lunch delivered to you in the park! Pre-order your special picnic lunch from Revolution Rotisserie or stop in with your tour sticker/button for proof of purchase and receive a discount off the full menu. Additional questions regarding your picnic lunch should be directed to the respective establishment. Adult refreshments are not permitted on the tour but may be available after the tour at the deck in Washington Park.

Friends of Music Hall outdoor walking tour is entirely outdoors as it travels around the perimeter of the building - it does cross the street occasionally. These are main roads that have a fair amount of foot traffic. Tours take place near traffic where sidewalks are old in some areas and there is active construction occurring around the building so we suggest that visitors wear sturdy comfortable shoes and be cautious when walking. Tours are not recommended for very small children. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian at all times.

Sorry, no pets allowed.

Be prepared for your outdoor tour by wearing comfortable walking shoes and bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, umbrellas or a poncho in the event of rain.

Tours occur rain or shine. Be prepared for your tour by wearing comfortable walking shoes and bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, umbrellas or a poncho in the event of rain.

In the event of severe weather conditions we will cancel a tour as in the case of tornado or a severe weather storm watch. All tours may be cancelled if CPS schools closes due to weather such as in the case of tornado or a severe weather storm watch or severe snow. Outdoor building tours will be canceled in the case of lighting. In this case, we will happy to reschedule your tour or refund your ticket price. Refunds are not allocated if tours are not cancelled.

Refunds cannot be processed on-line – only in person or by phone. Aronoff Center Ticket Office, 650 Walnut Street 9:00am-5:30pm, Monday-Friday / 10:00am-1:00pm, Saturday. Free 10 minute parking at the green meters in front of the Aronoff Center on Walnut Street

Since the Friends of Music Hall is a non-profit operating small, intimate group tours with a limited capacity, we cannot refund tickets for missed tours.  If you are unable to attend a tour, consider gifting the tour tickets to a friend or family member.  Ticket exchanges and tax-deductible ticket donations can be processed up to 24 hours before a tour.  Exchanges can be accommodated by incurring a $2 ticket exchange fee. We do give refunds in the event of severe inclement weather cancelation (typically when lightning is present).  In the instance of any other unforeseen emergency where a tour may be canceled, we will do our best to contact you before the tour using the information you provide. Friends of Music Hall representatives have the prerogative to cancel a tour for any reason or ask any individual to leave the tour group for any reason without a refund.

Refunds cannot be arranged on-line – only in person or by phone. Aronoff Center Ticket Office, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], 650 Walnut Street 9:00am-5:30pm, Monday-Friday / 10:00am-1:00pm, Saturday. Free 10 minute parking at the green meters in front of the Aronoff Center on Walnut Street.

Yes, if arranged in advance. Friends of Music Hall is happy to accommodate groups of all sizes, from conferences to family reunions. Large groups are segmented into smaller ones to create an intimate and enjoyable environment for our guests. Individual tickets also may be purchased at a discount for smaller groups of 5 or more. Discounts increase based on the size of your group. Visit friendsofmusichall.org for more information. Please contact Ramona Toussaint, Program Director, to make special arrangements if your group is larger than 30 guests. Specialized private tours can be requested online at friendsofmusichall.org, by calling 513.744.3293, or by emailing musichalltour@friendsofmusichall.org to contact our Tour & Education Outreach Program Director.

Established as a non-profit 501(c)3 in1992, Friends of Music Hall was founded to “preserve, promote, improve and provide education about Music Hall”. The Beyond the Bricks Speakers Series allows our guides to come to you at your location. As an all-volunteer group, all fees support this mission. All tour guides and speakers are highly trained volunteers with a passion for Music Hall. Programming is provided with the support of the Cincinnati Arts Association. To find out more about how you can further support Friends of Music Hall, the tour program, or to volunteer go to friendsofmusichall.org, call 513-744-3293, email Ramona Toussaint, Tour & Education Outreach Program Director at musichalltour@friendsofmusichall.org

Park on the same block as Music Hall or take the streetcar! Music Hall does not own or manage the parking facilities listed below. Parking rates are subject to change, and are posted at each lot.

Washington Park Garage: 1230 Elm St. 45202

Town Center Garage: 1251 Central Parkway. 45202

Central Parking Lot (uncovered): 1225 Elm St. 45202

Download the Music Hall Parking Map, for directions or for more information: click here.