Tanglewood

Tanglewood is a concert venue in Lenox, Massachusetts, set among the wooded hills of the Berkshire Mountains. The main stage is a covered wooden structure that sits on a lawn and holds several thousand visitors, both under the roof and on the grass around it.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra founded this site in 1936 and initially used temporary structures for the first summer concerts. Two years later, the wooden music pavilion was built, which has since formed the core of the grounds and seen many generations of musicians and audiences.

The venue takes its name from a collection of short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, who once lived here and drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape. The site continues to link literary memory with the sounds of classical music in an open natural setting.

Most performances take place during the warm months, when visitors can sit on the lawn and listen to the orchestra outdoors. Those who arrive early secure a good spot on the grass and can settle in for a picnic before the music begins.

Three music education institutions use the grounds alongside the performances, so young musicians learn and rehearse here while audiences stroll through the meadows. Visitors sometimes hear practice sounds drifting from the side buildings, mixing with the birdsong of the surrounding woods.