Mershon Auditorium sits just west of High Street and 15th Avenue, at the front door of Ohio State's campus, sharing the block with the Wexner Center for the Arts. Most people find it by heading for the Wex and following the crowd.
Built in 1957
Mershon opened on April 29, 1957, with a dedication to Ralph D. Mershon, an Ohio State alumnus and one of the university's major donors of that era.
In 1989 the Wexner Center opened next door, designed by Peter Eisenman, and the Wex has operated Mershon ever since. By the late 1990s the hall had gone four decades without a renovation, so it closed for about a year of work. The project brought refurbished seats, a replacement roof, updated restrooms and entry doors, and wider aisles, and it reopened with a jazz festival. Fixed seating dropped from more than 3,000 to just under 2,500, which bought every row a little more legroom.
Inside the hall
Mershon seats nearly 2,500 between the main floor and the balcony, with wheelchair seating available. There is an orchestra pit in front of the stage, and the stage itself can be converted into a black box space with the audience sitting up on it.
The Wex uses the hall for its performing arts season, the university uses it for its own events, and outside promoters bring larger concerts in. That mix keeps the calendar unpredictable in a good way. One week it is a dance company, the next it is a touring band that wants seats instead of a standing floor.
Getting there and parking
- The Ohio Union South Garage, about a block and a half south on High Street, is open to visitors any time and is the most reliable choice.
- The Arps Garage, about a block north with its entrance on 18th Avenue, and the Ohio Union North Garage generally open to visitors after 4 in the afternoon on weekdays and all day on weekends.
- Metered spaces in front of the building are few, and some are reserved for permit holders.
- COTA buses run straight up High Street from downtown, and Ohio State's free CABS buses loop the campus area.
- On home football Saturdays the whole campus fills with traffic. Check the schedule before you plan a weekend show.
Nearby
Newport Music Hall is a few blocks south on High Street, so a seated show at Mershon and a late set at the Newport can share a night. For the arena end of campus, Value City Arena sits on the west side off Route 315.
The Wex galleries are right there too. If you arrive early, check whether they are open before the show.