The Met Philadelphia is a concert venue housed inside the former Metropolitan Opera House at 858 N. Broad Street in North Philadelphia. Built in 1908 by impresario Oscar Hammerstein I and designed by architect William H. McElfatrick, the building originally seated more than 4,000 people, making it the largest theater of its kind in the world at the time it opened.
After the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York bought the building in 1910 and eventually stopped staging performances there, the hall cycled through decades as a movie theater, ballroom, sports arena, and church before falling into disrepair by 1988. A joint restoration effort between developer Eric Blumenfeld and the building’s church owners, backed by Live Nation as promoter and tenant, brought the space back to life at a cost of roughly $45 to $56 million. The Met Philadelphia reopened as a modern concert hall on December 3, 2018, with a show by Bob Dylan.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 858 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Type: Concert hall / former opera house
- Opened: November 17, 1908 (as Philadelphia Opera House); reopened December 3, 2018 as The Met Philadelphia
- Capacity: About 3,500
- Operator: Live Nation Philadelphia
- Famous for: Bob Dylan’s 2018 reopening concert in a restored century-old opera house
From Grand Opera House to Modern Venue
When it opened in 1908, the Philadelphia Opera House was built to compete directly with the city’s established Academy of Music, boasting a seating capacity of over 4,000. Its fortunes shifted quickly: the New York Metropolitan Opera bought the hall in 1910, and by 1920 opera performances there had ended for good. Over the following decades the building found new life as a movie palace, ballroom, boxing venue, and eventually a church, which purchased it in 1995 and spent years stabilizing the aging structure.
What Concertgoers Experience Today
The renovation that turned the building into The Met Philadelphia preserved much of its ornate original detail, including restored plasterwork and architectural flourishes from the Hammerstein era, while updating the space with modern sound, lighting, and multiple bar levels. With a capacity of around 3,500, the venue is now a regular stop for major touring acts in Philadelphia, booked and operated by Live Nation.
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The Met Philadelphia FAQs
When did The Met Philadelphia open?
The building first opened as the Philadelphia Opera House on November 17, 1908. After decades of disuse and a multimillion-dollar renovation, it reopened as The Met Philadelphia concert venue on December 3, 2018.
What is the capacity of The Met Philadelphia?
The Met Philadelphia holds about 3,500 people, down from its original 1908 seating of more than 4,000.
Who operates The Met Philadelphia?
Live Nation Philadelphia operates the venue as its concert promoter and tenant, following a renovation partnership with developer Eric Blumenfeld and the building’s former church owners.
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Photo: ajay_suresh / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.