Museums, galleries & stages / Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Central Campus (Michigan League)
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
The 658-seat 1929 theater inside the Michigan League in Ann Arbor, where UMS presents song recitals and theater.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
Alumnae raised the money for the Michigan League as the women's answer to the men-only Michigan Union, and the theater opened with the building in May 1929. A $50,000 gift from Gordon Mendelssohn paid for it, and he named it for his mother. Faculty and students tried a chamber music series here in 1938, but UMS only started presenting here regularly in 1993, when Eartha Kitt and Barbara Cook played the 100th May Festival's Cabaret Ball. Today it's mostly theater and song recitals. The house was renovated in 1995.
- Open since 1929
- 658 seats on the main floor and balcony
- The UMS Ticket Office sits right below it
- No elevator to the balcony
A closer look
Photos were taken at different times; images are resized and cropped on cards.
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¼ · Stay
Sleep right around the corner
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-10-23
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
- UMS: Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (address, parking, history, accessibility) ↗
- UMS: Contact (ticket office, phone hours, venue box office lines) ↗
- UMS: Ticket Information and FAQ ↗
- UMS: Accessibility ↗
- Bentley Historical Library: Michigan League / Lydia Mendelssohn Theater ↗
- U-M Arts: Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre ↗
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
Jan 16, 2027, 11:00 AMMarooned!
University Musical Society (UMS) kicks off its new Family initiative with Marooned! on Saturday, January 16, at 11 a.m. at Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor. An astronaut crash-lands on an uncharted planet 87,000 light years from home, and it's recommended for kids 5 and up. Tickets are available online.
Jan 17, 2027, 2:00 PMMarooned!
An astronaut crash-lands on an uncharted planet after traveling 87,000 light years in Marooned!, playing Sunday, January 17, at 2 p.m. at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor. It kicks off the University Musical Society's new Family initiative, and tickets are available online.
Jan 28, 2027, 7:30 PMC4 Trío
Venezuela's C4 Trío plays the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor on Thursday, January 28, at 7:30 p.m., presented by the University Musical Society (UMS). Led by Héctor Molina, the group blends folk roots with jazz, Latin and pop. Tickets are available online.
Feb 18, 2027, 7:30 PM300 Paintings
Australian comedian Sam Kissajukian brings his show 300 Paintings to the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor on Thursday, February 18, at 7:30 p.m. It mixes stand-up and visual art to tell a personal story about bipolar disorder, creativity and recovery.
Feb 19, 2027, 7:30 PM300 Paintings
Australian comedian Sam Kissajukian brings 300 Paintings, his show that blends comedy and visual art, to Ann Arbor's Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre on Friday, February 19, at 7:30 p.m. It's presented by the University Musical Society (UMS).
Feb 20, 2027, 7:30 PM300 Paintings
Australian comedian Sam Kissajukian brings his show 300 Paintings to the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor on Saturday, February 20, at 7:30 p.m., presented by the University Musical Society. It mixes comedy and visual art in a deeply personal story. Tickets are available online.
Feb 21, 2027, 2:00 PM300 Paintings
Australian comedian Sam Kissajukian brings his show 300 Paintings to the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor on Sunday, February 21, at 2 p.m. Comedy and visual art meet in a very personal story, presented by the University Musical Society.
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