Getting ready forthe St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's home in Grand Center, with a viewing room at the rear of the orchestra level where guests with sensory sensitivities can see and hear the concert in a quiet space, headphones, a weighted lap pad, ear plugs and fidgets at Guest Services, early entry or exit on request, an experience guide to read before you go, and short Concerts for Kids with accommodations for people with sensory sensitivities.
Sensory supports. Viewing room, headphones to borrow, Concerts for Kids.
Hours
Concerts for Kids at Powell Hall this season: Peter and the Wolf, 3 pm Feb 21 2027 (45 minutes, no intermission, most enjoyed by ages 6 and up); Our World of Water, 3 pm Apr 25 2027 (45 minutes, no intermission, most enjoyed by ages 6 and up); The Lion and the Mouse, 11 am Jun 12 2027 (30 minutes, no intermission, most enjoyed by ages 3 to 6). Doors open 75 minutes before classical concerts and 60 minutes before special events. The Box Office helps with tickets Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm; Saturday, 2 to 5 pm; and from two hours before concert time. Summer Box Office hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 3 pm.
“The auditorium has a viewing room for guests with sensory sensitivities. Located at the rear of the orchestra level, this room allows guests to see and hear the concert in a quiet space.”
“If you or a member of your group have sensory sensitivities and need special accommodations (ear plugs, early entry/exit or reentry to the hall), please contact hospitality@slso.org in advance or stop by our Guest Services desk and we will be happy to help.”
“Concerts for Kids are inclusive of people with sensory sensitivities. Accommodations will be provided so that everyone may enjoy the experience of live orchestral music.”
“If your child is restless or crying during the performance, we respectfully ask that you step out of the auditorium momentarily or use our Viewing Room on the Orchestra level. An usher will gladly help you return to your seat at an appropriate break in the performance.”
The Viewing Room is also where families with young children and late attendees can watch, so other people may be in it with you.
Concerts for Kids are short concerts where audience participation is encouraged, and the event pages for all three Concerts for Kids and the Concert for Teens list preconcert activities: arrive early for special concert-related activities included in the experience. At The Lion and the Mouse, children dance and make music along with SLSO musicians. Our World of Water is told with music, movement and puppetry, with waves of fabric and larger-than-life puppets. The Lion and the Mouse was moved from its original date in May 2027 to 11 am Jun 12 2027; ticket holders can keep their tickets or ask the Box Office for a refund.
Concerts for Teens are also inclusive of people with sensory differences: Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra, 3 pm Jan 31 2027 (1 hour, no intermission, most enjoyed by ages 12 and up), with animation and thundering percussion.
The SLSO's experience guide, I'm Going to a Concert! (linked from its Families page), walks a child through the visit: an usher scans the ticket; Guest Services in the lobby lends noise canceling headphones, a weighted lap pad or ear plugs and has fidgets; a quiet room is available for a break, and an adult goes along; the chimes mean ten minutes to find your seat; an usher takes you to your seat and hands you a program; and borrowed sensory tools go back to an usher or to Guest Services.
A viewing room at the rear of the orchestra level lets guests with sensory sensitivities see and hear the concert in a quiet space.
Guest Services in the lobby lends noise canceling headphones, a weighted lap pad or ear plugs and has fidgets (give them back to an usher or Guest Services); early entry or exit and reentry to the hall can be arranged by emailing hospitality@slso.org ahead or at the Guest Services desk.
Concerts for Kids tickets are $25 each, plus a $2 fee; everyone 2 and older needs a ticket, and children under 2 sit on an adult's lap at no charge.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
Ask before you go
exactly what is adjusted at Concerts for Kids (sound, lights or seating)
whether baby bottles or formula can come in
Call 314-534-1700More about St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall
Louder, in the SLSO's words
The lobby of the Jack C. Taylor Music Center (The SLSO's experience guide says the lobby may be noisy, and a Headphone Zone sign means you may be entering a loud space)not stated
The auditorium during the music (The SLSO's experience guide says some of the music may sound loud or unsettling at times)not stated
Quieter, in the SLSO's words
The Viewing Room, at the rear of the orchestra levelquiet zone
Tickets: Concerts for Kids seats are $25 each, plus a $2 fee per ticket. Buy online, by phone at 314-534-1700, in person at the Box Office or in the SLSO app (20% off your first in-app purchase). Bundling 3 or more concerts makes a Compose Your Own subscription, with 15% off regular ticket prices. If a concert is canceled, the SLSO contacts ticket holders ahead to offer exchanges or refunds. Free companion seats are available for patrons who can't attend without a companion's help: call the Box Office (one per order).
Ages: the recommended minimum for classical concerts is 5, while children of all ages are encouraged at Specials, Concerts for Kids, Films and Youth Orchestra concerts. Everyone 2 and older needs a ticket; children under 2 may sit on an adult's lap at no charge.
Arriving late or stepping out: late seating happens at an appropriate break. Latecomers can still see and hear the performance from outside the auditorium, and anyone who leaves the hall is reseated at an appropriate break.
Security: police officers and security are at every event, and everyone passes through a security screening on the way in. Bags larger than 14 x 14 x 17 inches may be inspected. Weapons of any kind aren't allowed.
Food and drinks: outside food and drink aren't permitted. Food bought on site may go into the auditorium for select performances when signs say so, and non-iced, lidded drinks are allowed in the auditorium for all concerts. The Box Office and concessions are fully cashless.
Parking: prepaid parking is $20 per vehicle per concert this season in the Shepard Lot (enter from Samuel Shepard Dr.) and the Delmar Lot (enter from Delmar Blvd.), bought online or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700; it is valid only for the date and time bought. Advance sales end 24 hours before most performances, and in-person parking may be available on the day as space permits. Four-hour metered street parking nearby is free daily after 7 pm and on Sunday.
Accessible parking and drop-off: the Shepard Lot and the Fox Parking Garage have ADA parking, and the lot just east of the building has 20 ADA spots near the east entrance. Ramped drop-off and pick-up areas are at the main entrance (via Samuel Shepard Dr.) and at the north entrance at Grand and Delmar Blvds., where rideshares also drop off and pick up; in a rideshare app, enter Powell Symphony Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd.
Transit: MetroLink Blue or Red Line to Grand Station, one mile south, then walk or take the #70 Grand bus north; the #97 Delmar bus stops at Delmar and Grand.
Help: a volunteer physician from Washington University Physicians is on duty at every performance; alert the nearest usher or SLSO staff member. In severe weather, ushers and staff will ask the audience to shelter in place in the auditorium. The building has a coat check.
Email
hospitality@slso.orgSensory accommodations (ear plugs, early entry or exit, reentry) and accessibility questions
