Bass Concert Hall, Fort Worth, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Bass Concert Hall is the main performing arts theatre in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, at 501 Calhoun Street. Opened in 1998 and named for philanthropists Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass, it hosts touring Broadway shows, opera, ballet and major concerts, and its grand facade is a landmark in its own right.

The story behind it

Fort Worth has long put serious effort into its arts scene, and Bass Concert Hall was built to give the city a large, modern stage in the heart of downtown. The Bass family, prominent Fort Worth benefactors, lent their name to the project, and the hall opened in 1998. It was designed by architect David M. Schwarz, who gave it a formal, classically inspired front rather than a plain modern box.

Over the years the hall has become the home stage for some of the city's best-known performing companies, including the Fort Worth Opera and Texas Ballet Theater, and it is the setting for the touring Broadway season. It is also tied to the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, one of the best-known events of its kind, which has long been part of Fort Worth's cultural identity.

What to look for

• Look up at the front of the building, where large sculpted angels flank the entrance and give the facade its theatrical character.
• Notice the symmetrical, formal composition of the entrance, a deliberate choice that makes the hall feel more like a grand civic monument than a typical theatre.
• Check the posters and banners near the entrance, which show what is on stage, from Broadway tours to opera and ballet.
• Walk to the plaza in front and look back at the whole building, which gives the best view of its scale and proportions against the downtown skyline.

Tips for your visit

• You can see the exterior at any time, and about 15 to 20 minutes is plenty if you only want to admire the facade and take photos.
• The inside is open mainly to ticket holders for performances, so check the current schedule if you want to see the auditorium.
• Evening is a good time to visit, when audiences gather and the building feels most alive, though daylight is better for photographing the sculpture details.
• Sundance Square, with its restaurants, shops and plazas, is within easy walking distance, so the hall fits naturally into a stroll around downtown.

See it on a quest

Try The Oz Escape in Fort Worth, a self-guided walk where you reach the hall on foot as one stop of a longer route through downtown. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

If you prefer mystery, Fort Worth Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. takes you through the same part of the city at your own pace. You walk from place to place, hear about each one, and solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Travelling with children? Family Scavenger Hunt: Bunny vs. Fox in Fort Worth is a playful way to see the hall and the streets around it. You walk the route yourselves, the app tells you about each stop, and everyone gets a puzzle to solve along the way. One ticket covers the whole group.