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Manhattan · Area collection

Harlem

Harlem’s music and visual-art institutions give different ways into its cultural history. Choose the Apollo for performance history, the Studio Museum for a museum visit or the National Jazz Museum for a smaller stop focused on jazz.

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Apollo Theater
Ajay Suresh · CC BY 2.0 · Resized.
Apollo Theater on NYFE

Understanding Harlem

The theater reopened as the 125th Street Apollo in 1934, after an earlier life as a burlesque theater that excluded Black patrons and performers. Its new programming and Amateur Night helped make it a setting for Black performance. The later Victoria expansion adds another chapter to an institution with several changes of ownership and use.

The Studio Museum focuses on artists of African descent and work influenced by Black culture. The National Jazz Museum adds a smaller Central Harlem institution devoted to jazz, offering another way to explore the neighborhood's cultural life.

Places to explore

  • Apollo Theater

    125th Street

    Look at the marquee, then use the operator's current calendar and booking information to choose a performance or tour and confirm its venue.

    Read the NYFE place guide

  • Studio Museum in Harlem

    144 West 125th Street

    The museum offers pay-what-you-can tickets and advance booking. Consult its current booking page for gallery entry.

    Read the NYFE place guide

  • National Jazz Museum in Harlem

    58 West 129th Street

    Choose a focused jazz visit. The operator lists public opening Thursday through Saturday and a suggested donation. Use its calendar to choose a program.

Planning a visit

The Jazz Museum recommends the 2 or 3 to 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard. Choose your museum or venue first and check MTA service.

Use the chosen venue's current access information when booking an event or tour.

Visitor update

The Apollo’s seasonal page says its Historic Theater is under renovation while programming continues at the Stages at the Victoria. Confirm the venue on your ticket.

Sources and visitor information