Academy of Music
Opened in 1857, the Academy of Music is the oldest opera house in the United States still used for its original purpose and a National Historic Landmark on the Avenue of the Arts. Over more than a century and a half of performances, it has accumulated a body of ghost lore. Legend holds that a young opera singer who collapsed and died during a performance still roams the halls and is glimpsed as an apparition among the audience. A former theater manager who died in his private box is said to be seen seated there watching the stage. Patrons in the upper balconies have reported invisible theatergoers roaming behind the seats. Most distinctively, audience members seated beside empty chairs describe an unseen companion: the cushion sinking and creaking as if someone sits, alongside reports of hair being pulled and being pinched by no one.
📍 240 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Philadelphia, PA · Get directions