Step Inside New Amsterdam Theatre: A Guide to Where the Magic Happens

Located in the heart of Times Square, the New Amsterdam Theatre is one of the oldest operating theaters on Broadway. Nicknamed “The House Beautiful” upon its completion at the turn of the 20th century, the Big Apple landmark has a storied history filled with Ziegfeld girls, the magic of Disney and even stories of a ghost haunting its Art Nouveau halls.

The New Amsterdam box office is located at Broadway & 42nd Street, and is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-8:00 pm., Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

What Events Are Coming Up at New Amsterdam Theatre?

See upcoming events and buy tickets for Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre right here on Ticketmaster.

New Amsterdam Theatre History

Completed in 1903 and named for the New Amsterdam settlement that eventually became New York, the New Amsterdam Theatre was one of the very first Broadway theaters to open in the Theater District of Times Square.

While the first show to open at the New Amsterdam Theatre was a 1903 production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it eventually became home to the Ziegfeld Follies, which ran for more than a decade from 1913 to 1927.

With its Beaux-Arts exterior and glamorous Art Nouveau interior, other shows that premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre in its earliest decades of operation included Irving Berlin and Harry B. Smith’s Watch Your Step, the Gershwin brothers’ Rosalie, a 1933 musical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and Dietz and Schwartz’s Revenge with Music.

Here’s a fun fact: the theater has long been rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Olive Thomas, a former Ziegfeld girl turned silent film star who died under questionable circumstances while on her honeymoon with husband Jack Pickford.

In 1937, the New Amsterdam was sold as a movie theater, which remained in operation through the early 1980s — though by the ’70s, the area surrounding Times Square had become run down and crime-ridden, prompting the 42nd Street Development Project to announce plans for its revitalization before ultimately leasing the building to The Walt Disney Company.

On January 10, 1980, the theater was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places, and in the mid-’90s, Disney led the charge in renovating the theater through its research and development arm, Walt Disney Imagineering. Disney officially completed the theater’s restoration on April 2, 1997. Later that year, as its first Broadway production in more than half a century, The Lion King opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre in November 1997 and ran for nearly a decade there until it moved to the Minskoff Theatre in 2006.

 

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The New Amsterdam then welcomed Mary Poppins to its stage, with the practically perfect nanny doling out spoonfuls of sugar through 2013 for 2,619 performances. Since 2014, the theater — which is owned by the City of New York, and operated by the Disney Theatrical Group — has been home to the original Broadway production of Aladdin.

Parking and Admission at New Amsterdam Theatre

There is no designated on-site parking near the New Amsterdam Theatre. However, there are numerous parking options in the Broadway Theater District. Various parking options in the Times Square area can be viewed via SpotHero. Taxis can also stop outside the theater for dropoff and pickup.

Items prohibited inside the New Amsterdam Theatre include weapons of any kind (including firearms, ammunition, knives, mace, scissors, etc.), alcoholic beverages, marijuana or any illegal substances, outside food and/or beverages, cameras and/or video recording equipment and more. For a complete list of prohibited items, please review the New Amsterdam Theatre’s Code of Conduct ahead of your visit.

New Amsterdam Theatre Bag Policy

All bags are subject to inspection upon arrival at New Amsterdam Theatre and should fit comfortably beneath your seat. Large bags must be stored at coat check during the performance.

New Amsterdam Theatre Dress Code

There is no dress code at New Amsterdam Theatre, but other house rules are in place. The full New Amsterdam Theatre Code of Conduct can be viewed on the official Aladdin website.

New Amsterdam Theatre Capacity & Seating Options

New Amsterdam Theatre has a capacity of 1,702 seats divided between three sections: Orchestra (698), Mezzanine (586) and Balcony (418).

What Are the Best Seats at New Amsterdam Theatre?

The best seats at New Amsterdam Theatre vary depending on the event and personal preferences. The New Amsterdam Theatre seating chart can be viewed on Ticketmaster.

Things to Do Near New Amsterdam Theatre

There’s nowhere that the hustle and bustle of New York City comes alive more than in the Theater District, and there’s so much to see and do before or after your show at New Amsterdam Theatre.

Take in the iconic view of Times Square; go shopping at Forever 21, the Disney flagship store, Old Navy, Gap, Express or H&M; walk one block east to Bryant Park and the New York Public Library; check out popular destinations like the One Times Square skyscraper, Madame Tussauds New York wax museum or Dave & Buster’s; see a movie at the AMC Empire 25 or be entertained by the vendors, buskers and other performers in the heart of Times Square.

Hotels Near New Amsterdam Theatre

Times Square has dozens of hotels for visitors to New York to choose from. Below are a number of options within just a few blocks of New Amsterdam Theatre:

• Hilton New York Times Square, 234 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036
• The Knickerbocker, 6 Times Square, New York, NY 10036
• Hilton Garden Inn New York/Times Square Central, 136 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036
• Hampton Inn Manhattan/Times Square Central, 220 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036
• Casablanca Hotel, 147 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036
• The Westin New York at Times Square, 270 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036
• The Chatwal – The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, 130 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
• AC Hotel New York Times Square, 460 W 40th St, New York, NY 10036

Restaurants Near New Amsterdam Theatre

New York City is home to cuisine from all across the globe and options for a great meal near New Amsterdam Theatre are nearly endless — from a quick bite on the go to a nice, sit-down meal before or after the show.

Below are a number of dining options in Times Square within walking distance from New Amsterdam Theatre:

• Carmine’s, 200 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
• Dallas BBQ Times Square, 241 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036
• Los Tacos No. 1, 229 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036
• John’s Pizzeria of Times Square, 260 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
• Brooklyn Diner, 155 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036
• Havana Central Times Square, 151 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
• Red Lobster, 5 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036
• McDonald’s, 1528 Broadway, New York, NY 10036