Been there a few times now. Mostly sat towards the front. Good line of sight at each seat we had. Sound is great as well. Staff are all polite. Lobby is small, so you wont want to hang out there. Bathrooms are down a set of steps, but I think there is an elevator.

Pure History. Some very steep steps. Ushers around to help those that need it. We were in balcony and had great views. Very tight seats. I am like 62, my knees were in back of seat in front of me. Did really enjoy show there!

Beautiful architecture, but the seats were super uncomfy. The building is old yes, but makes me wonder - didnt people really care back in the days how they were sitting while watching a show? Your back aches afterwards even if you didnt have issues with it before. The show cost us $150/ticket, but the seats themselves as such werent worth more than $20. But I guess, if the show is good enough, you try to forget everything else...

Awesome place. Took my daughter to see Wild Kratts great show. Place was packed but very organized. Easy to get to wherever you need to get to inside the building.

The seats are really tight. Im 6 tall and my knees are pushed up against the seat in front of me. But the view is great from anywhere in the theater. We were up in the balcony.

We went to see Rent and it was amazing. This isnt the 1st time weve been to this theater but we love it whenever to go. The staff member are always very nice and helpful. It is a little hard to get a refreshment during intermission.

We were at this theater to see Double Dare Live and it was such a great place for the show! I loved the size of the theater. I dont think there would be a bad seat in the house because its pretty small overall. It has old charm to it and is definitely a place I would go to again to see a show!

Older venue with great acoustics for concerts. Seating options are a plenty with no bad views. Few bars around inside so get there early to grab a drink or two before the show.

The Merriam is a venerable pillarstone of the arts in Philadelphia. The theater is not vast in proportion, but that gives it a clear advantage - theres not a bad seat in the house. The acoustics are wonderful as well.

As I enter the auditorium amazing lights,beautiful ceiling rise, lights were amazing, I enjoyed the overall experience there. The chairs are to small, I felt I was clutter in. I saw the Christian band Third Day it was a amazing concert.

This theater reminds me of the local $1 movie theater. I can not believe I spent $100 per seat. The show itself was pretty good, but I can not believe people still go here.The floors are caked with filth...do not drop anything! Bathrooms are so small which is expected in an old theater...but no toilet paper??? And the paper towel holders were empty!I am seriously surprised the board of health lets this place stay open. Seriously! Clean it up!Also...do NOT bring anyone with physical limitations! Especially not or ...i saw so many people struggling.The woman at the elevator was very friendly. Otherwise...a dud!

This well known theatre is very nice but not well maintained. It looks dirty, falling apart, the chairs are so small and tight. I was not expecting that this theatre was a run down place.The show was great.

We went here to see Shen Yun. There was plenty of parking lots near by. They opened promptly and the ladys restroom had plenty of stalls!The seating area felt a little cramped. It was compounded by a coat check that was either not there, or nearly impossible to find. So all coats were flopping over the tiny seats. Also my husbands seat was broken (tilted down and to the left) which had his back in pain by the end of the performance.The last remark is that they needed to work out a better way to seat late guests. As there were introductions followed by dancing, it seemed that for the first half of the show every time the introductions were taking place the aisles were crowded with late comers. But there were so many of them that our view remained blocked during the beginning of each dance. I understand the theater cannot be responsible for late guests (and things happen occasionally that prevent timelines). However with the flow of the performance I feel that the theater could have worked with the production to find a way to have the late arrivals seated without interrupting the experience of the other guests.

The show was fabulous, but hard to enjoy, because... Seats are tiny! My knees touched the seat in front of me, there was no room at all for us to stretch. We paid big bucks for good seats, were seriously disappointed. Nothing good about them. Its like economy coach class on an airplane. We will not go back to Merriam Theater for this reason. Long line at bathroom, stall door does not close? Wow. Please renovate soon.

Lovely venue! It was my first time there and second time in Philly! I went here for the Double Dare live tour to visit my friend Marc Summers and bring him a Double Dare Cake!! And it was amazing!

Fantastic theater! The interior is beautiful and the acoustics are fabulous. I brought my daughters here to see Dirty Dancing.

Beautiful theater. Staff is friendly. Can get quite crowded during intermission causing a very long line for the restrooms. But a great place to see a show. This is my 3rd time and Im never disappointed

So incredibly nostalgic

The place is very old and due for a renovation. Sorry to say my thighs was too thick for the seats. But the usher was nice enough to allow me to sit in the free standing chairs so I was able to watch the show.

Attended a concert for Chris Tomlin. This is my first time ever in the theater. I was in awe of the architecture of the old building. The acoustics were amazing. And 99.9% of the staff was extremely helpful and pleasant. The bathrooms seem to have been recently updated and they seen clean and nice. The remainder of the interior looks like it could use a refresh soon. Maybe some new carpet and a vacuum. Overall it was a really pleasant time and the concert was amazing.

The theater needs to renovate its seats for comfort. Mine was on a slant and caused my sciatica a lot of pain. Bathroom facilities should be on the ground floor without climbing steps especially for the handicapped.The show was superb!

The Kimmel Center should be ashamed to open this facility. It is a negligent lawsuit waiting to happen. The place is dirty. The air vents are caked with dirt. The chairs are broken. My chair on the balcony row A seat 3 was broken 2 screws were entirely ripped off. I had to maneuver it just to sit. I couldnt enjoy the show for fear of falling on the floor. My chair wasnt the only one, many chairs were the same. The upholstery on the balcony is dirty and ripped. Seats are filthy.

An excellent place to watch Broadway, Sound quality was great. Seats are comfortable and there is actually some leg room. Gorgeous theater. Staff were very pleasant.

Events are well organized and time. Seats are extremely tight. If you are over a size 14 best to get a balcony seat.

Beautiful venue pleasant staff........cramped seats. Ive been blessed with long legs and large feet. It took a long time to reach anything near a comfort position. Lol

The theatre was lovely and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. My only complaint would be the seats are not very comfortable. Bathrooms were very nice and clean.

Beautiful theater that hosts a lot of great shows. Since its an older theater the seating is a little cramped but other than that its a cool place.

Cute Historic Place. Tight seating and very steep. However no Seat is a Bad seat. Bartender is very slow- sense of urgency is ZERO. Depending on where you are seated Indeed you will have steps to climb. Bathroom stalls are plentiful. Staff seems nice and friendly

Nice venue but space on the balconies is very tight. We were sitting 4th row on the balcony andnthe view was great. However the amount of legroom is ridiculous. Any discount airline offers twice the space. So be prepared to squeeze yourself in and enjoy the view.The parking situation is good esp. if you pre-order. It was surprisingly quick to get in out of the venue.

Nice venue. The ushers dont harass you too much.

I love going to the theater and every show Ive seen at the Merriam Theater has been lovely. The only thing I have to say that is annoying is the seating is tight and there is no leg room. I do understand the theater is older and it is still very lovely.

The show my family and I watched was great. It was Drumline Live. The inside of the theater is beautiful. The seats I had which was on the second floor was great.

Though the theater is old and desperately needs updating you cant help but be reminded of its history. Yes, the paint is peeling, the fabric on the balcony is worn and bare, some seat numbers are missing but none of this takes away from the performance you are there to see. There is also plenty of convenient parking nearby.

Went to see Drumline Live and had a blast! Everyone was kind and helpful and the show was AMAZING! Not really any bad seats due to the layout.

Great old school atmosphere. Seats are a little worn, but just adds to the charm. Friendly ushers on the balcony!

Just watched an incredible performance of Shen Yun at this dirty, hazardous theater. The bathrooms, floors and walls are filthy and dirty throughout. There was limited toilet paper and paper towels available in the bathroom. There are no railings to support ambulation and several people fell while trying to get to their seats. The seating is cramped and uncomfortable. I could not wait for a break in the show as I felt like an sardine. I clung to the walls while ascending and descending the stairs to my seat. There is an elevator but you still have to climb those treacherous steps to get to your seat. Do not look down as the floors are dirty and disgusting. They look like they have not been vacuumed since the theater opened. This is not a theater for people with Asthma. The only bright spot to this theater was the woman who operated the elevator.

This place never gets old. Ive been to this theater many times in my life and I would never turn down the opportunity to experience whatever is playing there. It wouldnt be there if it wasnt good, thats just the way it is. Highly recommend any show or concert at this venue.

Went with my family to see The Rainbow Fish back in 2019.

I took my granddaughter and her mother to see Charlie brown 3 days ago. Why they dont remodel this theater is beyond me. Ive been to many of the theatres on Avenue of the Arts and this is by far the worse. The first balcony was where we sat was filthy it looked like the floors hadnt been swept in weeks, and the velvet under the railing was pealed back and very dirty. I know the theater is old but being dirty well theres no excuse for that. Oh, I forgot to say the performance was great and we all enjoyed Charlie brown.

Nice theater. A little aged. Not the most comfortable seats.

Great performance of the best Broadway Musical of all time! Thank you Jonathon Larson! You will never be forgotten.

Seats in the balcony are a bit tight but the ushers were very helpful and the sight lines are excellent.

So pretty. Not a bad seat. I could see from the seats up top. Tall people in front of me did not block my view.

This theater was clearly not built for anyone over 5’5”. My knees we wedged into the seat in front of mine through the entire show. It’s also sad that the interior isn’t better cared for. It must’ve been a beautiful building at some point but now the paint is peeling, the rugs are dingy, and the air vents on the ceiling appear to have accumulated 100+ years of dust around them. I thoroughly enjoyed Shen Yun but the theater itself is in desperate need of renovation.

Seats were uncomfortable no room to stretch my legs due to bad knees seated on the balcony. Could use a little work in the balcony area. Could not enjoy the show too good.

I was diagnosed with MS in February. We went to show at Merriam Theatre on March 1st.During a intermission i had a episode and since i was just getting used to my disease and was trying to cope with it i was escorted out by security...didnt get to see the rest of the show, they embassed me and they said i was drunk... Ignorense is bliss. I was mortified. I should at least get my money back.

Seats are equal to a spirit airlines cross country trip. I was ready for show to be over at intermission. Walked home to stretch knees. Im 59

I got to see the Shen Yun 2020 show and it was amazing. Helpful staff and a very historical feel in the building. The Seats are a little small but that cant be helped.

Nice theater. Be nice if the did some seat renovations

Wonderful theatre. Comfortable seats. Plenty of restrooms which allows enough time for use during intermission. Very important for women.

Great place to see a show... But needs major updates and could use a good cleaning.

I loved seeing Shen Yun! It was fantastic! The Merriam is an older theater and spacing is a little tight! However well worth the show!!

This is a very old outdated theater. Its not worth going unless you spend big money on good seats. Otherwise, you will be taking elevators and several sets of stairs to reach your seat. The seats are uncomfortable and tight, hardly any room, everyone is crammed in. Only good thing is the employees working there are polite and helpful, they are nice.

Went to see Shen Yun there; the Chinese ballet show. The seats were not comfortable though we paid handsomely to sit within four rows of the stage and had a great view.

Shen Yun was good seating is horrible basic high school seats needs an upgrade seriously.

Shen Yun was stunning. I took my seven year old granddaughter for her first theater experience; she loved it!My only qualm was, as some have already mentioned here, is that the seating at the Merriam was way to cramped (we bought floor-center area)! Not elevated quite enough to see over folk ahead of you. Very small stage...a bit too small, I feel, for such a presentation.However, the ushers were very curtious, patient and helpful.

Small enough venue that no seat is a bad seat. They really need to do some remodeling and cleaning. The ceiling is black with dirt from A/C system and just time. Rails are worn. Seats are worn. Sound system at times was distorted - there for Black Violin and the keyboard section of the show sounded awful because of the sound system.

Seats are tight old and uncomfortable.The air circulating system is inoperative.The concert was good...but the theater needs a facelift

Overall great venue. Seats are way too small on the balcony Im average height and had my knees in my chest the entire time. Staff is very polite and courteous

Great performance of DRUMLINE! Only 4 stars because of poor theater upkeep. Could use some updating.

Awesome old theater. Sightlines arent bad. Can see the stage

My first visit to this theater, I was very disappointed. Very dirty, needs to be painted and a facelift. I was Very surprised. The show was awesome !

The production our family went to was entertaining, but the facility itself left something to be desired. The audio for the program was rather poor and inefficient, with the host having difficulty managing it and needing to use a handheld microphone since the wireless ones were weak and hard to understand. Our seats were in the middle of the upper balcony, and wewere unaware it cut off the top half of the projecection screen used for most of the show that evening. It made it hard to enjoy the program, and it would have been beneficial for the ticket office to have indicated that during purchase. Other area locations, like the Academy of Music, indicate if there is a blockage or obstruction in the view from a particular seat. This theater office should have taken more responsibility in notifying ticket purchasers of any view obstructions on stage. Lastly, wild is an old building, the bathrooms were poorly maintained and in need of renovations. We are supporters of the arts, and hoped that this facility will modernize at least some of these areas soon.

An historic venue with perfect acoustics. A Philadelphia treasure.

The outside is nice. The inside is old looking. The chairs and material covering the balcony walls are raggedy and dirty. The chairs are so close together, you feel like you are sitting in between the persons behind you legs.

Beautiful building with lots of history. Very comfortable seating, bathrooms are a chore to get to.

A must-see if you appreciate art and the craftsmanship of woodwork inside the theater. They didnt have a coat check which made seating a little tight.

Went to see Shen Yun and the place was well kept, clean and the ushers did their deligence in ensuring people werent disturbing the casts as well as others with cellphones. Gosh I dont understand why people wouldnt want to just sit and enjoy an excellent show, its only two hours with a break in the middle, society can live without a phone for two hours, but kudos to those ushers and I thank you

This theater is an icon in the city but its in badly need o some TLC. I was very disappointed in the decor being my first time there. However the performance was exceptional.

Love this place . Seats could because little bigger but all and all awesome theater!!!

Shen Yun was a Great joy to experience in this Beautiful theatre. Staff very helpful & friendly.

Saw paw patrol live, which the kids loved! The seating of course is not ideal due to it being an older theater.. Very hard wood and the rows are VERY close together.. Im only 54 and my knees were rubbing the seats in front of me and the springs on the seats are strong, so my son kept getting folded in half lol..Another deal breaker for me was, the restrooms has absolutely NO CHANGING AREA FOR BABIES... My son did a number 2 right before intermission, I had to change him on the carpet in front of the bathrooms! Which blocked a crowd coming in..ugh. if its a CHILDRENS event, there should be CHILDRENS ammenities available for the parents to use... The sink only had boiling HOT water which burned my sons hands.. After i looked up there was a warning sign, HOT WATER ONLY but STILL, JEEZ..other then that, the show was great!

Small but beautiful theatre.

Took the family to see Stomp, over all a great show and a fantastic time. The ushers were friendly and courteous. Bathrooms were somewhat clean. My biggest problem is the seats are SMALL. They were designed for another time when people in general were built a bit different.

A nice place to go for an event. I went to see Amanda Seales and she was amazing. The staff was helpful. Also, the seats were very comfortable. My only pet peeve was the fact that the place look like it was going to fall apart at any second.

Very nice theater. Not a bad seat in the house.

The show was great, but the seating is so uncomfortable and outdated, that its hard to stay focused on the show. I doubt Ill go there again.

Awesome entertainment at this theater . Really enjoyed Shen Yun. All employees are friendly and helpful.

Will never go back. Like hundreds of other reviews here, I have the same complaints: the seats are too small and uncomfortable (wood and upright) and the bathrooms are; too few, too small, disgusting, and too hard (dangerous really) to get to. There was almost a riot in the womans line. People complaining all around my wife and I because of seats. Think of the worst airplane experience and multiply by 10. I left at intermission because even though the show was good (Simon and Garfunkel) I could not spend another moment in those seats - which were located up front on the bottom level and not cheap. Fyi - I am only 59 and 165 lbs. I found out afterwards, that I am not alone in refusing to go there again. I can not stress enough how uncomfortable this place is. Complete waste of time, and money, and datenight.

Will avoid this venue in the future due to painfully inadequate legroom, at least in my balcony seat. Could not enjoy the performance sufficiently for that reason. Im only 5 9 and dont have any knee or leg problems.

The show was great but the theater needs a lot of work...the tickets were expensive but this theater is no Kimmel Center

I was excited to go see Jon Leguizamo perform Latin History for Morons yesterday at the Merriam Theater. I forgot what a perfect venue the Merriam is. All of the seats are good, orchestra or balcony. Intimate with excellent sound. See anything at the Merriam. BTW...leguizamo...incredible!

Still a grand theatre with great acoustics and lighting. The seating is tight with the legroom of a budget airline. The staff is amazing from will call attendants to ticket scanners to ushers. They have another great line up of performances this summer.

Acoustics were great .Great place to see a show.

Nice theater! Most seats have s pretty good view of the stage, even cheaper seats in the back

Amazing I SAW Shen Yun for the first time and was in the Merriam theater FOR the first time as Well I LOVE it

It was woderful, Shen yun ballet, the customs were amazing but it was too long and seats were cramped

Absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Sound, lighting, and overall management on point. Also, usually Im really panicky about seating but I dont think there is even a bad seat in the house. I sat on the second balcony level and my view was perfect. No complaints. The designers did a great job taking into account views from every angle without ruining overall experience. :D

BEAUTIFUL THEATER, TICKETS ARE A LITTLE HIGH BUT I GUESS THAT DEPENDS ON THE EVENT.

Amazing so amazing black theater is so live so amazing my word cant Express how wonderful there performances were so enjoy it love you dr. Glory van scott

The theatre was very very dirty. Not cleaned before the show. It needs a serious remodel. We will not go back. Had a hard time enjoying the show because of the stink and garbage in the theatre.

The performances are wonderful and the design of the theatre is remarkable. Youll likely share this feeling for the first 20 minutes before your knees start to ache from being pushed against your chest with your shoulders rolled forward.The seats are tiny, even for a colonial. Id pay more for a ticket if I could stretch a bit. Unfortunately, after 2 shows I can confirm that you lose interest halfway through because all you can think about is how uncomfortable you are.

Saw Adam Ant in concert. Loved it! The sound in the theater was great. Would recommend this venue.

The Merriam Theater is a wonderful place to attend. It can use some repairs though: a new paint job

Great old theater. Warning for the upper levels, the pitch is steep and the rows are very close; not a lot of leg room.

Saw the Bring It Live Tour, staring Coach D & the Dancing Dolls. The show was SPECTACULAR! Staff was warm and inviting. The venue however NEEDS A SERIOUS DO OVER VERY! OLD! and POORLY KEPT! Womens bathroom on 3rd level balcony ONLY!! HAS 2 STALLS...they were VERY! VERY! VERY! SMALL! and doesnt accommodate handicap persons. You could not get a wheelchair in there if you folded it up I would think twice about going to this venue again. This venue being a part of the Avenue of the Arts its condition is shameful Philadelphia YOU! must DO BETTER!

Its a decently maintained old theater. So leg room is minimal seats are kinda comfort. It does have excellent sight lines and sound ..for traditional music. Not so much for modern or rock type. The theatre is just not built acoustically to offer optimal sound..

I had a great time seatings were will and the play was excellent

Truly enjoyed Drumline Live

Ive seen Alice in Chains here and Eric Andre.The venue is small enough to be intimate. But not large enough for you feel like youre disconnected.