Pittsburgh

Benedum Center for the Performing Arts

September 16 2026
Within Walking Distance

Overview

Getting To and From

Inside the Venue

Onsite Accessibility

Our Guidelines

Comments

Accessibility Information Google Map Venue Floor Plan Website

About

The Benedum Center is a 2,800-seat theater at 237 7th Street in Pittsburgh's Cultural District, operated by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. It hosts Trust presentations including PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh, Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents, and First Night Pittsburgh, and the Trust gives priority programming dates on the Benedum stage to Cultural District resident companies including Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Pittsburgh Opera. The venue is also available on a rental basis to promoters and community groups. Accessibility is well documented here compared with most venues. The theater has a dedicated wheelchair platform at the back right of the orchestra level, an elevator to the right of the main lobby reaching all levels, wheelchair accessible restrooms on the orchestra level, an adult changing table in the accessible restroom in the Clark Extension, and two custom-built lowered ADA bars added in 2023. Services include assistive listening devices, Sennheiser MobileConnect streaming over WiFi, audio description, GalaPro captioning, sign language interpretation, large print and Braille programs, sensory inclusive performances, and Kulture City sensory bags, most collected at the Guest Services Device Center on the house right side of the inner vestibule. All guests pass through security screening before entry. To request accommodations, call Guest Services on 412-456-6666, and submit requests needing coordination at least two weeks ahead.

Getting To and From

Features	Information Available on Website	Available at Venue	Notes	Additional Info / Things to Know
On Site Parking Garage or Lot	Yes	No	The Benedum Center has no parking garage or lot at the theater itself. The Cultural District offers many parking options in lots, garages, and on the street, and most parking areas are just blocks from any of the Trust's theaters. For parking as close as possible, the Trust recommends the Theater Square Garage, which it owns but which sits at a separate address about a block away.
Drop Off/Pick Up Lanes/ Ride Share	Yes	Yes	Patrons are always welcome to drop off and pick up directly in front of the doors of any Pittsburgh Cultural Trust theater or gallery, including the Benedum. Curbside wheelchair assistance is available upon arrival.
Off site Parking	Yes	Yes	The Theater Square Garage is the recommended option and holds 16 accessible spaces. It is owned by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and operated by Alco Parking. The car entrance is on 7th Street between Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Penn Avenue, the pedestrian entrance is at 667 Penn Avenue, and the GPS address is 120 7th Street. It is open 24 hours, seven days a week, with a clearance of 7 feet 2 inches. Pre-paid parking is $20.	ParkPGH, a project of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, gives real-time parking information for Downtown garages. On pre-paid parking: the voucher is only good after 4 p.m. on weekdays and all day at weekends, it guarantees a space but not a specific floor or stall, and it lets you enter even when the garage sign says full. Vouchers ordered 7 or more days ahead arrive by mail, otherwise they are held at the box office. Garage contact: Alco Parking on 412-323-4455.
Accessible Entrance	Yes	Yes	Curbside wheelchair assistance is available upon arrival at the theater doors. The Guest Services Center sits to the right of the main entrance on 7th Street and holds accessibility equipment including assistive listening and captioning devices. The main entrance has double doors wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair when both are opened.	In a Trust-published account of a November 2024 visit, a wheelchair user found that only one of the double doors had been opened and the gap was not wide enough to pass through comfortably; staff corrected it on the spot and confirmed both doors should be opened for wheelchair users. The Trust said the automatic door electronics had since been replaced and that new Guest Services Center doors addressing the door width and the entrance bump height were due to be installed in early January 2025. No later update confirming that work is published.
Site Map/Floorplan	Yes	Yes	A detailed seating chart PDF is published for the Benedum Center. It labels the Wheelchair Seating Platform and the Grand Circle (Orchestra Pit) alongside the orchestra and balcony rows, so accessible positions can be located before booking. A simpler overview chart splits the house into sections A through D.

Inside the Venue

Features	Information Available on Website	Available at Venue	Notes	Additional Info / Things to Know
Dedicated Accessible Entrance	Yes	No	No separate or dedicated accessible entrance is described. All guests use the main entrance on 7th Street, with curbside wheelchair assistance offered on arrival and the Guest Services Center immediately to the right of that entrance.
Street Level Access and Automatic Doors	Yes	Yes	The main entrance has automatic doors, and the Trust has stated that the electronics operating them were replaced. The doors are double doors, wide enough for a wheelchair when both are opened rather than one.	An entrance bump height was identified as a problem by a wheelchair-using patron, and the Trust said replacement Guest Services Center doors addressing both the width and the bump were due in early January 2025. That is the most recent published word on it. If a level threshold matters for your visit, call the Benedum Center on 412-456-2600 or Guest Services on 412-456-6666 to confirm the work is finished.
Security Checkpoint	Yes	Yes	All guests are subject to a physical screening and inspection prior to entry, and this is in effect at the Benedum Center. Screening uses EVOLV contactless screening machines, which let guests walk through with their bags, coats, and permissible items. By presenting a ticket and entering, you consent to screening, and refusing it may result in denied entry.	Bag policy: one bag per guest, no larger than 16 by 16 by 8 inches. That covers purses, tote bags, duffel bags, suitcases, knapsacks, backpacks, packages, cartons, paper sacks, briefcases, portfolio cases, binocular cases, and camera equipment cases. Bags are subject to search and theatergoers may be asked to open their jackets before entering. Guests with prohibited items may return them to their vehicles, and unattended items left outside the doors are discarded. The 24 hour campus security desk is 412-456-2610.
Use of Mobility Aids	Yes	Yes	Curbside wheelchair assistance is available upon arrival. Service dogs and miniature horses are welcome in all of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's theaters and facilities. Two ADA bar locations serve wheelchair and mobility device users, in the Grand Lobby and at the Patron Bar on the Promenade Level; both were custom-built and installed in 2023 with lower counters funded by a Regional Asset District grant, so patrons and staff using wheelchairs can reach across comfortably.	Related services: Kulture City sensory bags, published social stories for the Benedum Center, sensory inclusive performances with raised house lights, reduced sound and lighting effects, fidgets, specially trained ushers, and designated quiet and activity spaces. An adult changing table is in the accessible restroom in the Clark Extension, and a lactation room is upstairs on the Promenade level near the Patron Bar. To request accommodations call Guest Services on 412-456-6666, and submit anything needing coordination at least two weeks before the event.
Accessible Seating (Theater)	Yes	Yes	The Benedum Center has a dedicated platform designed for wheelchairs, located at the back right of the orchestra level, which is the main floor. Seats are available on the platform for companions to sit with wheelchair users. Accessible seating can be bought online, by phone, or in person, and seating needs should be given at the time of purchase.	Capacity by area: the platform can accommodate parties of up to 4 people, subject to availability; the Grand Circle can accommodate larger groups of up to 7 people, subject to availability, though seating there is not available for all shows; and most other ADA seating locations can accommodate two seats next to one another. Larger parties may occasionally need to be separated when the platform and pit areas are already sold out, or for price reasons. A patron who used the platform described it as level, with an excellent line of sight.

Location

237 7th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Getting To and From

Find essential details on parking, drop-off points, and accessibility to make your visit smooth and hassle-free.
Check the table below for more information.

Features	Information Available on Website	Available at Venue	Notes	Additional Info / Things to Know
On Site Parking Garage or Lot	Yes	No	The Benedum Center has no parking garage or lot at the theater itself. The Cultural District offers many parking options in lots, garages, and on the street, and most parking areas are just blocks from any of the Trust's theaters. For parking as close as possible, the Trust recommends the Theater Square Garage, which it owns but which sits at a separate address about a block away.
Drop Off/Pick Up Lanes/ Ride Share	Yes	Yes	Patrons are always welcome to drop off and pick up directly in front of the doors of any Pittsburgh Cultural Trust theater or gallery, including the Benedum. Curbside wheelchair assistance is available upon arrival.
Off site Parking	Yes	Yes	The Theater Square Garage is the recommended option and holds 16 accessible spaces. It is owned by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and operated by Alco Parking. The car entrance is on 7th Street between Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Penn Avenue, the pedestrian entrance is at 667 Penn Avenue, and the GPS address is 120 7th Street. It is open 24 hours, seven days a week, with a clearance of 7 feet 2 inches. Pre-paid parking is $20.	ParkPGH, a project of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, gives real-time parking information for Downtown garages. On pre-paid parking: the voucher is only good after 4 p.m. on weekdays and all day at weekends, it guarantees a space but not a specific floor or stall, and it lets you enter even when the garage sign says full. Vouchers ordered 7 or more days ahead arrive by mail, otherwise they are held at the box office. Garage contact: Alco Parking on 412-323-4455.
Accessible Entrance	Yes	Yes	Curbside wheelchair assistance is available upon arrival at the theater doors. The Guest Services Center sits to the right of the main entrance on 7th Street and holds accessibility equipment including assistive listening and captioning devices. The main entrance has double doors wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair when both are opened.	In a Trust-published account of a November 2024 visit, a wheelchair user found that only one of the double doors had been opened and the gap was not wide enough to pass through comfortably; staff corrected it on the spot and confirmed both doors should be opened for wheelchair users. The Trust said the automatic door electronics had since been replaced and that new Guest Services Center doors addressing the door width and the entrance bump height were due to be installed in early January 2025. No later update confirming that work is published.
Site Map/Floorplan	Yes	Yes	A detailed seating chart PDF is published for the Benedum Center. It labels the Wheelchair Seating Platform and the Grand Circle (Orchestra Pit) alongside the orchestra and balcony rows, so accessible positions can be located before booking. A simpler overview chart splits the house into sections A through D.

Inside the Venue

Get to know what to expect indoors—from seating layouts to restrooms and concessions.

Features	Information Available on Website	Available at Venue	Notes	Additional Info / Things to Know
Dedicated Accessible Entrance	Yes	No	No separate or dedicated accessible entrance is described. All guests use the main entrance on 7th Street, with curbside wheelchair assistance offered on arrival and the Guest Services Center immediately to the right of that entrance.
Street Level Access and Automatic Doors	Yes	Yes	The main entrance has automatic doors, and the Trust has stated that the electronics operating them were replaced. The doors are double doors, wide enough for a wheelchair when both are opened rather than one.	An entrance bump height was identified as a problem by a wheelchair-using patron, and the Trust said replacement Guest Services Center doors addressing both the width and the bump were due in early January 2025. That is the most recent published word on it. If a level threshold matters for your visit, call the Benedum Center on 412-456-2600 or Guest Services on 412-456-6666 to confirm the work is finished.
Security Checkpoint	Yes	Yes	All guests are subject to a physical screening and inspection prior to entry, and this is in effect at the Benedum Center. Screening uses EVOLV contactless screening machines, which let guests walk through with their bags, coats, and permissible items. By presenting a ticket and entering, you consent to screening, and refusing it may result in denied entry.	Bag policy: one bag per guest, no larger than 16 by 16 by 8 inches. That covers purses, tote bags, duffel bags, suitcases, knapsacks, backpacks, packages, cartons, paper sacks, briefcases, portfolio cases, binocular cases, and camera equipment cases. Bags are subject to search and theatergoers may be asked to open their jackets before entering. Guests with prohibited items may return them to their vehicles, and unattended items left outside the doors are discarded. The 24 hour campus security desk is 412-456-2610.
Use of Mobility Aids	Yes	Yes	Curbside wheelchair assistance is available upon arrival. Service dogs and miniature horses are welcome in all of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's theaters and facilities. Two ADA bar locations serve wheelchair and mobility device users, in the Grand Lobby and at the Patron Bar on the Promenade Level; both were custom-built and installed in 2023 with lower counters funded by a Regional Asset District grant, so patrons and staff using wheelchairs can reach across comfortably.	Related services: Kulture City sensory bags, published social stories for the Benedum Center, sensory inclusive performances with raised house lights, reduced sound and lighting effects, fidgets, specially trained ushers, and designated quiet and activity spaces. An adult changing table is in the accessible restroom in the Clark Extension, and a lactation room is upstairs on the Promenade level near the Patron Bar. To request accommodations call Guest Services on 412-456-6666, and submit anything needing coordination at least two weeks before the event.
Accessible Seating (Theater)	Yes	Yes	The Benedum Center has a dedicated platform designed for wheelchairs, located at the back right of the orchestra level, which is the main floor. Seats are available on the platform for companions to sit with wheelchair users. Accessible seating can be bought online, by phone, or in person, and seating needs should be given at the time of purchase.	Capacity by area: the platform can accommodate parties of up to 4 people, subject to availability; the Grand Circle can accommodate larger groups of up to 7 people, subject to availability, though seating there is not available for all shows; and most other ADA seating locations can accommodate two seats next to one another. Larger parties may occasionally need to be separated when the platform and pit areas are already sold out, or for price reasons. A patron who used the platform described it as level, with an excellent line of sight.

Onsite Accessibility

Learn about ramps, elevators, restrooms, and other accessible features available during your visit

Features	Information Available on Website	Available at Venue	Notes	Additional Info / Things to Know
Restrooms	Yes	Yes	Wheelchair accessible restrooms are located on the orchestra level. An adult changing table is available at the Benedum Center, in the accessible restroom in the Clark Extension.	A lactation room that can be used throughout performances is located upstairs on the Promenade level near the Patron Bar.
Elevators	Yes	Yes	The Benedum Center elevator is located to the right of the main lobby and accesses all levels.
On-Site Dining	Yes	Yes	Concessions are served at the theater, and two ADA bars with lowered counters operate in the Grand Lobby and at the Patron Bar on the Promenade Level. An allergen guide for concessions is published, with named vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free options.	Published options include cinnamon roasted almonds, Boom Chicka Pop sweet and salty popcorn, soft pretzels, Skittles, Twizzler cherry nibs, sour patch watermelons, Smartfood white cheddar popcorn, Albanese gummy bears, Reese's peanut butter cup, Welch's fruit snacks, Hershey's milk chocolate bar, and Jolly Time popcorn. Coat checks are made available to suit weather conditions.
Theater, Auditorium, etc. (Museum)	Yes	Yes	The Benedum Center is a 2,800-seat theater and a focal point of Pittsburgh's Cultural District. It is home to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presentations including PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh, Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents, and First Night Pittsburgh, and the Trust gives priority programming dates on the stage to resident companies including Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Pittsburgh Opera. The venue is also available on a rental basis to promoters and community groups.	The Nita and Sunil Wadhwani Box Office at the Benedum Center is only open during performances, opens two hours before curtain time, and stays open for 30 minutes into the show; at other times use the Theater Square Box Office. Phone numbers: Benedum Center 412-456-2600, Cultural District Guest Services 412-456-6666, and the 24 hour campus security desk 412-456-2610.

Our Guidelines

1. Make Accessibility Info Easy to Find - Dedicated Website Accessibility Page

Clearly post detailed accessibility information online, covering parking, entrances, interior pathways, site plans, and more.

2. Include All Mobility Devices

Consider walkers, canes, crutches — not just wheelchairs. Provide specifics for a variety of mobility needs. Include people who use different devices in the conversation.

3. Go Beyond ADA Compliance

ADA is the minimum. Strive for real-world accessibility through thoughtful design and ongoing improvements.

4. Visibility = Accessibility

If disabled visitors aren't present, barriers may exist. Transparency and preparation are the keys to inclusion. Empower everyone to attend.

Latest Places

Sep 16 2026