Wang Theater
Wang Theater
4.5
About
The Boch Center is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England’s largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more. Located in Boston’s historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and ArtWeek Boston; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston’s arts and cultural community
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Wang Theater and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Downtown
The largest area of the city, Downtown is rich with historical and iconic sites in Boston. Stroll through one of Boston’s most famous green spaces, the Boston Public Gardens, check out and make way for duckling statues, picnic under a beautiful tree overlooking the pond, and walk over the iconic footbridge where, during summer time, you will catch a swan boat toting children and eager tourists through the pond. Have your camera ready to capture its peaceful beauty in the middle of a bustling city. Continue on through the Gardens and take in some open green space at the Boston Common, where you can spend time throwing a frisbee, sitting on a park bench, or, in the winter time, skating on the frog pond. Head north from the end of the Common to see the golden dome of the State House, and travel through government center to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, both a historic and popular destination worth a quick visit for a first time to Boston. Head to Long Wharf to visit the Aquarium, or catch a boat to Charlestown or even Cape Cod.
How to get there
- Tufts Medical Center • 2 min walk
- Chinatown • 4 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
2,608 within 3 miles
Attractions
961 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
262 reviews
Excellent
187
Very good
38
Average
22
Poor
5
Terrible
10
Peggy W
Boston, MA8 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
I attended Elf last night with my daughter and grandchildren, aged 6 and 8. It was billed as a musical with actors on stage based on the promotional materials. Instead, it was a film of the movie "Elf" with an orchestra added for musical effects. We were all very disappointed and felt that the Wang engaged in deceptive advertising. Why would we pay several hundred dollars as a family to watch a film on an screen when we could do the same thing at home for free? Shame on you, Wang Theater.
Written December 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EJ T
6 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
This review is a few months delayed but since we are returning to Boston for another visit in a few days, I was reminded of our last trip to town when I went to see a show at the Wang Theater. We ended up buying last minute tickets to the Sept. 2023 showing of Mulan - Imagine China. First of all, the theater is very beautiful and for the most part the staff were very friendly. With exception for one gentleman that works there.
We adhered to the rules regarding no photography or video during the show. However, I made the mistake of thinking that it was okay to take pictures of the cast at the end of the show. I thought since the show was over and the cast members were all standing on stage as the audience was giving them a standing ovation, it was safe to start taking pictures. I barely took out my phone and snapped a photo when I felt someone push me from behind and heard someone yell "No Photos!" The person pushed me so hard it felt more like a punch! I was confused as to what happened initially when it first happened. I quickly put away my phone immediately and looked to see who had just hit me and I see the employee standing several feet away down aisle off to the side looking at the audience.
I understand he was doing his job but he could have conducted himself differently. As a result of how he reacted and his overly physical way of getting my attention, I walked away from the experience having a very negative impression of the Theater and the incident ruined my night. The employee needs to be retrained on how to properly address a guest when situations like this occur. There are definitely more appropriate ways of telling guests to put their phones away and to stop taking photos.
Although we are returning to Boston again because it is a lovely city, we never go back to the Wang Theater because of the incident, in particular, as a result of the negative interaction we had with that one employee.
We adhered to the rules regarding no photography or video during the show. However, I made the mistake of thinking that it was okay to take pictures of the cast at the end of the show. I thought since the show was over and the cast members were all standing on stage as the audience was giving them a standing ovation, it was safe to start taking pictures. I barely took out my phone and snapped a photo when I felt someone push me from behind and heard someone yell "No Photos!" The person pushed me so hard it felt more like a punch! I was confused as to what happened initially when it first happened. I quickly put away my phone immediately and looked to see who had just hit me and I see the employee standing several feet away down aisle off to the side looking at the audience.
I understand he was doing his job but he could have conducted himself differently. As a result of how he reacted and his overly physical way of getting my attention, I walked away from the experience having a very negative impression of the Theater and the incident ruined my night. The employee needs to be retrained on how to properly address a guest when situations like this occur. There are definitely more appropriate ways of telling guests to put their phones away and to stop taking photos.
Although we are returning to Boston again because it is a lovely city, we never go back to the Wang Theater because of the incident, in particular, as a result of the negative interaction we had with that one employee.
Written January 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl
70 contributions
Dec 2022
I was there recently to see Cirque du Soleil. For some reason unknown to people waiting with their tickets the doors would not open. There were hundreds of people packed in the lobby. It was not safe under any circumstances. There was no safe way to get out. It was frightening. Finally the doors opened. People poured into the theater. Some of the ushers were just not helpful at all. Kind of dazed. There is no leg room at all. None. I was told by an usher that the show was delayed and that it was a good time to go to the bathroom because if you went during the show they would not let you back to your seat. BALONEY. People were up and down the aisle throughout the entire show. Completely blocking the performance. The whole experience seemed 2nd rate.
I will not be going back.
I will not be going back.
Written December 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristine L
Derry, NH2 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Theater was beautiful , seating was aweful. Seat are tiny and absolutely no leg room not even an inch. Went to see riverdance , we lasted 1 hour and left. Never again will I see a show there. My husband is disabled and slipped , another guest helped him up, not the workers mind you . I bought tickets for my husband's birthday , the day was ruined.
Written June 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Odannyboy
2 contributions
Nov 2019
I took the tour with a group of friends recently and was blown away. The theater itself is awesome. Standing on the stage, looking out at the "audience" was worth the admission price alone. The tour guide's anecdotes and knowledge brought the experience to life. We covered a lot of ground, saw the dressing rooms, walked on the springy stage floor (preferred by the dancers) and learned a bit of history to include architectural facts and the original air conditioning design!
The "folk music" room was equally impressive with many instruments and artifacts from many of my favorite artists. I highly recommend it.
The "folk music" room was equally impressive with many instruments and artifacts from many of my favorite artists. I highly recommend it.
Written November 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your feedback. We are glad that you enjoyed the tour!
Written November 22, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lindsay B
Beverly, MA43 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
Today happened by chance: it was raining and we were in the area. What a pleasant surprise to see that the theater is now doing tours. This is new so the tour ended up being a private one with just my friend and I, but it was wonderful!! Aurora and Kaitlyn knocked it out of the park. They were both so knowledgeable about the history of the theater and were able to answer any questions we had. They both had such passion for the history of the theater. The gorgeous gem of a theater has such a unique history I never knew about and I learned so much. The tour is about an hour and I would highly recommend it!!
Written June 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JoeTravel1
Boston, MA27 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
So I am an average sized male @ 5'9" tall - certainly not an overly large person. I've been to the Wang (Boch Center) Theater a couple of times... The first time, I took the show from the First Floor Mezzanine section. Although a bit tight, the seating was acceptable and we had a wonderful time. HOWEVER - yesterday, I attended a show and sat in the upstairs Balcony section. All I can say is that unless you are a healthy, smaller individual you should AVOID the Balcony section at all costs. The seats are extremely small, the space to the seats in front of you extremely tight (my knees were jammed painfully in the back of the seat in front of me) and the stairs are non-standard, higher than normal rise. These stairs also lack railings. It appears that at some time the seating was architecturally made tighter, and the seating made steeper in order to jam more seats / rows into the Balcony. If you've any concerns on size or mobility at all, pay the extra for the Mezzanine seats. You'll be glad you did!!!!
Written January 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SallyJenkins1989
Boston, MA4 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
This theater is gorgeous, there is no doubt about that. However, we got left center balcony seats (row AA, almost at the ceiling) and there was NO RAILING for the stairs. The individual stairs were also quite a bit more narrow and taller than your average stair, making them incredibly difficult to climb. There is also only one women's bathroom for the entire balcony, and the line was so long that not even half of it had gone before the intermission was over (a problem they "fixed" by making the men's restroom available to women, forcing the men to go down 2 floors for the bathroom). The staff is pleasant except for the elevator attendant, who was quite possibly the rudest woman I have ever met in my life. She looked at everyone's tickets, told us to go to the WRONG SECTION and then was conversing with a woman about how she didn't have her glasses with her so she "couldn't quite make out the tickets". All in all, beautiful theater but much more trouble than it's worth.
Written June 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel Gypsy
1 contribution
Nov 2019
What a WONDERFUL experience! This was a fun learning experience for a person who LOVES theatre! A behind the scenes tour that takes you through every nook and cranny of a Boston treasure steeped in theatre history from the silent days, though the days of vaudeville, to golden years of film, to its resurgence as a major arts showplace in the late seventies. The tour guide was exceptional. He conducted the tour in a warm and easy manner allowing my partner the experience of singing on the stage! He answered every question adding tremendous insight to the back stage operations of a major theatre. Do yourself a favor---TAKE THIS TOUR!
Written November 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind words. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your experience and hope to see you again.
Written November 22, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jordan M
1 contribution
Nov 2019
After doing all the more traditional historic attractions, I knew I wanted to do something unique. I was pleasantly surprised how interesting and extensive the Wang Theatre tour was. We (a group of 3) were personally toured through virtually every part of the huge theater, taken downstairs to learn about a growing music folk museum, see backstage dressing rooms and cast signings and nothing is more eye-popping then seeing the whole theater from the back of one of the largest stages in the US. Our guide even let us operate an old and rare elevator. The whole experience was enjoyable and learning that it is all run by a non-profit was just icing on the cake. Highly recommend to all those looking for a fun, unique and easily accessible family-fun experience.
Written November 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your feedback. We enjoyed having you!
Written November 22, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We have been shopping all day, Is there a cost check or locker area to keep our bags?
Written October 10, 2019
Usually the Theater has bags' keeping service.
Suggest you ask Theater website for detail.
Written February 5, 2020
Are food and beverage allowed in the theater?
Written September 18, 2018
I bought orchestra pit tickets to see Troye Sivan with my 8 year old daughter. Only after I bought them did I notice that they were general admission (oops). Will she be able to see anything?
Written August 17, 2018
I need a recommendation for a good place nearby to meet up with a few people for a drink before the upcoming Neil Young show. Thanks for any ideas!
Written July 7, 2018
There is a comfortable, friendly, somewhat eclectic restaurant called Abby Lane right across the street from the theatre. Clearly belongs in the theatre district, We enjoyed it.
Written July 8, 2018
There are garages in the area. Google it and you can see their locations. None are much of a walk. For someone with mobility issues (like myself) try the Tufts Medical Center garage, now called the Tufts Shared Services garage as it is the closest - right next door. We arrived at the last minute. Looked for handicapped parking couldn't find it but found one near the elevator and was fine. Be sure to use the elevator toward the Tremont St side. On street parking would be near to impossible. Also consider the traffic for your arrival time. Its terrible. Took us over an hour once in the city !
Written September 25, 2017
How are the seats on the floor level? As a bigger guy, sometimes these theaters have small seats that are very uncomfortable. Im travelling from Ohio so I want to make sure.
Written May 1, 2017
Nick, I was there for a Hans Zimmer concert and I'm a bigger guy and was sitting on the floor just to the right of the stage. I'm 5'10" 260 with a 38 inch waist and the seats were incredibly small. The arm rests and cup holders were rubbing against my knees the entire time. There was another gentleman, larger than me, sitting a few seats down from me and I could tell her was having the same issues I was having. Great theatre! But for bigger guys, it's a little uncomfortable.
Written August 4, 2017
Showing results 1-10 of 13
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing