Carnegie Hall, 1895.

The main structure of the world-renowned venue, Carnegie Hall was built in 1891 and designed in the Renaissance Revival style by William B. Tuthill with Richard Morris Hunt and Dankmar Adler as consultants. Funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, it was originally called Music Hall. The official opening night performance on May 5, 1891 was a concert conducted by famed Russian composer Tchaikovsky. Renamed Carnegie Hall in 1893 the building had two residential towers added a year later, design by Henry J. Hardenbergh.

Carnegie Hall became the preeminent concert hall in the United States during the 20th century, with performances in diverse genres. Slated for demolition in the late 1950s after the Philharmonic announced their plan to move to Lincoln Center, the building was saved through the advocacy of a group of musicians, including violinist Isaac Stern. Special legislature allowed the city to buy the building and a non-profit was created to run the venue. In the last decade, the last remaining residents of the towers were evicted prior to the redevelopment of those spaces into a new educational wing.