The Brooklyn Museum's lobby is a vast Beaux-Arts hall with enough stone and height to give a jazz combo a real natural reverb, and Summer Jazz uses it for exactly that on August Sundays. It is included with the ticket that already gets you the Egyptian collection, the American wing and the Iris van Herpen exhibition upstairs, so the music is effectively a bonus. Come mid-afternoon, listen from the balcony stairs, then go up and look at art with the sound still following you.
What to expect
Live jazz in the museum's main entrance hall with casual seating and standing room, so people drift in and out between galleries. The acoustics are cavernous rather than club-tight. The rest of the museum operates normally during the performance.
Good to know
- The 2 and 3 to Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum exit at the front steps
- The performance is included with admission, so plan a full museum visit around it
- The lobby stairs and balcony give the best listening position
- The museum cafe is on the same level if you want to sit with a drink
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden next door makes an easy pairing
- The building is fully accessible with elevators to every floor
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Common questions
Do I need a separate ticket?
No - Summer Jazz is included with Brooklyn Museum admission.
Where does it take place?
In the museum's main lobby, the Beaux-Arts entrance hall on Eastern Parkway.
Can I still see the galleries?
Yes, the museum operates normally during the performance and admission covers both.
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