Audium

What you need to know

Audium is a sound art theater at 1616 Bush Street in Cathedral Hill. The room seats about 50 people surrounded by 176 speakers built into the walls, ceiling, and floor. Performances run 75 minutes in total darkness. Stan Shaff founded the project in 1962 and opened the current building in 1975.

What Happens Inside

Once the doors close, the lights go out. Compositions move through the speaker array so the sound shifts position around and above the audience. Some pieces use field recordings of wind, water, or birds. Others are electronic. There is no visual component and no narration. The room is pitch black for the full 75 minutes.

No latecomers are admitted once the performance starts. Phones must be off. Talking during the piece is not permitted.

Visiting

Address: 1616 Bush Street, Cathedral Hill

Hours: Performances Friday and Saturday evenings. Check the website for the current schedule.

Cost: About $25. Advance tickets recommended.

Best time to go: Friday evenings tend to draw a smaller crowd than Saturday.

What to know: The room is completely dark for 75 minutes with no phones, no talking, and no visual stimulation. Arrive before the doors close.

Getting There

Transit: Muni 2-Sutter or 3-Jackson to Bush and Franklin. From Civic Center BART, transfer to the 2 or 3 or walk about 15 minutes.

Parking: Metered street parking on Bush and surrounding blocks. Meters are free after 6pm on weekdays and all day Sunday.

Walking: Near Japantown and the Fillmore District. A short walk from the Cathedral of Saint Mary.