Tuckerman Hall

Tuckerman Hall is a historic performance hall and event venue located at 10 Tuckerman Street in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Designed in 1902 by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of America's first female architects, the building was originally constructed as the clubhouse of The Worcester Woman's Club at a cost of over $72,000. The neo-classical hall is celebrated for its exceptional beauty and superb acoustics, and it operates year-round as the home of the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, which took up residence in 1976 and acquired ownership of the building in 1981. The hall serves as a versatile venue for weddings, concerts, lectures, corporate dinners, fundraisers, and meetings. Its main auditorium features incomparable plaster detail, phenomenal millwork, a 40-foot ceiling, and superb acoustics, with a capacity of 521 for concerts, 270 for corporate dinners, and up to 350 for a stand-up reception. Additional spaces include a circular lower hall with a stage measuring approximately 50 feet in diameter, several kitchen and catering areas, grand hallways, a sound/projection booth, a ticket booth, and fireplaced turret suites designed with Dutch, Moorish, Renaissance Revival, and Colonial Revival motifs. For a significant portion of the twentieth century, Tuckerman Hall was a focal point of cultural, educational, philanthropic, and social activity in downtown Worcester. It hosted lectures by leading speakers from across the country and around the world, including Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy. Today, the hall continues to operate as a premier reception and performance venue, offering complete audiovisual services, an all-alcoholic liquor license as the exclusive purveyor of alcohol for contracted events, and adjacent parking. The venue is managed by expert staff dedicated to helping clients plan unforgettable occasions.

Tuckerman Hall was the crowning glory of The Worcester Woman's Club, an organization formed in 1880 after a two-day observance of the thirtieth anniversary of the first National Woman's Rights Convention held in Worcester in 1850. In need of a permanent home and somewhat daunted by the cost of land acquisition, members of the organization were relieved and grateful in 1898 when Stephen Salisbury III, scion of Worcester's most prominent family and a founder of the Worcester Art Museum, donated a triangular parcel of land which became the site of Tuckerman Hall. Designed in 1902 by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of America's first female architects, the building was constructed at a cost of over $72,000 as the clubhouse of The Worcester Woman's Club. The neo-classically designed hall is celebrated for its exceptional beauty and superb acoustics. For a significant portion of the twentieth century, Tuckerman Hall was the focal point of important cultural, educational, philanthropic, and social activity in downtown Worcester. Interests of The Worcester Woman's Club ranged from promoting educational reforms to fostering health improvements for the populace. Initiatives included supporting industrial training for public schools through the establishment of trade schools, championing public kindergartens, and encouraging the development of a hospital for contagious diseases. For many years, Tuckerman Hall functioned as the locale for lectures by leading speakers from across the country and around the world. Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy were among the luminaries who spoke at Tuckerman Hall. In 1976, the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra took up residence at Tuckerman Hall and acquired ownership of the building in 1981. Since then, the hall has operated year-round as the home of the orchestra and as an exquisite rental space for weddings, parties, concerts, lectures, corporate dinners, fundraisers, and meetings. The venue has hosted many corporate dinners (including award ceremonies), non-profit fundraisers, private parties, festivals, and classical, jazz, and folk concerts featuring some of the greatest performers in the world.

• 1981

  The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra acquires ownership of Tuckerman Hall.

• 1976

  The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra takes up residence at Tuckerman Hall.

• 1902

  Tuckerman Hall is designed by Josephine Wright Chapman and constructed at a cost of over $72,000 as the clubhouse of The Worcester Woman's Club.

• 1898

  Stephen Salisbury III donates a triangular parcel of land that becomes the site of Tuckerman Hall.

• 1880

  The Worcester Woman's Club is formed after a two-day observance of the thirtieth anniversary of the first National Woman's Rights Convention held in Worcester in 1850.

One of the country's premier reception and performance venues, offering historic elegance and exceptional acoustics.

• Main auditorium with full stage

  Features incomparable plaster detail, phenomenal millwork, a 40-foot ceiling, and superb acoustics. Capacity: 521 for concerts, 270 for corporate dinners, up to 350 for stand-up reception.

• Circular lower hall with stage

  Measures approximately 50 feet in diameter.

• Fireplaced turret suites

  Serve as breakout rooms, each designed with a different architectural motif including Dutch, Moorish, Renaissance Revival, and Colonial Revival designs.

• Audiovisual services

  Complete audiovisual services capability including power-point presentations, high-definition film showing, and house PA system.

• Alcohol and beverage service

  Tuckerman Hall has an all-alcoholic liquor license and is the exclusive purveyor of all alcohol and beverages for all contracted events.

1. 1Tuckerman Hall - Worcester Wedding Venue and Eventstuckermanhall.org
2. 2History | Tuckerman Halltuckermanhall.org
3. 3About | Tuckerman Halltuckermanhall.org
4. 4Other Events | Tuckerman Halltuckermanhall.org
5. 5Tuckerman Hall - Wikidatawikidata.org