The Academy of Music is Philadelphia's grand 19th-century opera house and the oldest opera house in the United States still used for its original purpose. Its red-and-gold auditorium, chandeliers, and horseshoe balconies make it one of Center City's classic performance spaces.
Most visitors see it by booking opera, ballet, concerts, or touring Broadway shows. Occasional tours focus on the building's history, architecture, and long-running role in Philadelphia's cultural life.