Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is an outdoor amphitheater and museum complex built directly on the original 37-acre field where the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair took place, in the town of Bethel, New York. Cable television pioneer Alan Gerry purchased the historic site in 1996 with the goal of revitalizing the rural Sullivan County region, and the venue opened to the public on July 4, 2006, with an inaugural performance by the New York Philharmonic.
Today the nonprofit center pairs a full concert season with The Museum at Bethel Woods, which chronicles the 1960s cultural movement and the story of the original festival. Just weeks after opening, the venue hosted a full-circle moment when Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young played the site in August 2006, 37 years after their original Woodstock set, closing their encore with ‘Woodstock.’
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Bethel, New York
- Type: Outdoor amphitheater and museum complex
- Opened: July 4, 2006
- Capacity: About 15,000 (roughly 4,500-4,800 covered pavilion seats plus 10,200-10,500 lawn seats)
- Site size: About 800 acres
- Famous for: Sitting on the original 1969 Woodstock festival field
Built on Hallowed Ground
The land beneath Bethel Woods is what draws most visitors first. Max Yasgur’s dairy farm hosted roughly 400,000 people for the 1969 Woodstock festival, and after decades of pilgrimage by fans to the unmarked field, Alan Gerry’s Gerry Foundation bought the property in 1996 to preserve it and build a permanent home for the arts. The center’s Pavilion stage and sloped lawn were designed so the natural bowl of the original farmland still frames the view.
Since its 2006 debut, the Pavilion has hosted a wide range of touring acts each summer season, from classic rock veterans to contemporary pop and country headliners, while the surrounding grounds host festivals, film screenings, and community events.
The Museum at Bethel Woods
Opened in June 2008, The Museum at Bethel Woods sits adjacent to the concert grounds and covers roughly 7,000 square feet of exhibits, including a 132-seat theater and interactive displays exploring the 1960s counterculture and the original festival’s planning, chaos, and legacy.
Operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit since spinning off from the Gerry Foundation in 2012, Bethel Woods has become a significant economic driver for Sullivan County, with the organization estimating over $560 million in regional spending generated since it opened.
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Bethel Woods Center for the Arts FAQs
Is Bethel Woods the actual site of the 1969 Woodstock festival?
Yes. The center sits on the original 37-acre field of Max Yasgur’s farm where the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair was held, plus hundreds of surrounding acres purchased by Alan Gerry in 1996.
What is the capacity of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts?
The venue holds about 15,000 people, split between roughly 4,500-4,800 covered seats in the Pavilion and about 10,200-10,500 additional seats on the sloped lawn.
When did Bethel Woods Center for the Arts open?
It opened on July 4, 2006, with an inaugural concert by the New York Philharmonic. The Museum at Bethel Woods followed in June 2008.
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