Main Lobby

Lore & Background

The main lobby of Severance Hall was conceived as part of the original 1931 design by the Cleveland architectural firm Walker & Weeks, which also designed Cleveland’s Federal Reserve Bank and Public Library. Inside, the Grand Foyer is surrounded by marble columns and features an Art Deco style with neoclassical and Georgian influences. The interior of Severance Hall showcases a variety of architectural styles, primarily Art Deco, with the main concert hall featuring a silvery aluminum leaf ceiling with designs based on 18th-century English point lace. The lobby serves as the grand entrance to a venue that opened on February 5, 1931, hosting a gala concert broadcast live across the radio. The building is named for patrons John L. Severance and his wife, Elisabeth Huntingdon DeWitt Severance, and was built with a $1 million pledge from John Severance, which eventually ballooned to more than $2.6 million.

In Their Own Story

A segment of the Cirque du Soleil film, The Journey of Man, was filmed in the main lobby. Shot in 1999 in IMAX, the segment Banquine utilized the 40 foot ceilings in the Bogomolny-Kozerefski Grand Foyer. This space, with its marble columns and Egyptian Revival motifs, provided a dramatic backdrop for the acrobatic performance, showcasing the lobby's architectural grandeur on the big screen.

Reader's Guide

The main lobby of Severance Hall is the grand, domed rotunda that serves as the front entrance to the concert venue. Designed by the Cleveland firm Walker & Weeks, this space greets visitors at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East Boulevard. The lobby features a variety of architectural styles, including Art Deco and elements of Egyptian Revival, with marble columns and decorations of papyrus and lotus flower patterns used throughout. It is the primary public entry point into the building, leading to the main auditorium and various service spaces arranged in a conjoined fan layout. The lobby is part of a building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Cleveland’s Wade Park District. In addition to serving as the Cleveland Orchestra’s home, Severance Hall is available to rent for concerts, weddings, corporate events, and receptions. On the ground floor is Reinberger Chamber Hall, a separate 402-seat auditorium frequently used for more intimate performances and pre-concert lectures.

Did You Know?

• The main lobby features a domed rotunda and was designed by the Cleveland firm Walker & Weeks, which also designed Cleveland’s Federal Reserve Bank and Public Library.
• The lobby's Grand Foyer is decorated with marble columns and features an Art Deco style with neoclassical and Georgian influences.
• The building opened on February 5, 1931, with a gala concert broadcast live across the radio.