The entrance to the Main Exhibit Hall inside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Level 0

Ahmet Ertegun

Main Exhibit Hall

The history of rock & roll is far from linear. Explore the sonic history and many evolutions of the music that changed the world starting with the Roots of Rock, through the Legends of Rock, to today's artists in Right Here, Right Now.

It's Been Said All Along

It's Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope & Empowerment explores how music and visual artists have created art as a response to unspeakable tragedy and to promote social justice for decades. Beyond the art form, artists have fought for equal rights and opportunity.

To shoot Janis Joplin for Rolling Stone, Wolman “walked with my cameras to her nearby flat in the Haight-Ashbury where she lived with her cat and dog. I, too, lived in the Haight where I had turned two bedrooms of our three bedroom house into a photo studio: the same studio in which Janis subsequently gave an unforgettable full-out performance for me and my camera in what I have come to call the ‘concert for one.’”

Iconic: Baron Wolman Images of an Era

Baron Wolman’s photographs of musicians in the late Sixties encapsulate an unparalleled time in American history. As the first chief photographer for Rolling Stone magazine, Wolman not only documented the era but helped to define it in images for subsequent generations of fans.

1997 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Mahalia Jackson

Roots of Rock

The indisputable origins of rock. Hear and see the story unfold from the early influences that were the trailblazers for all other inductees and the foundation of rock and roll.

THE BEAT GOES ON

Explore the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll and some of the most iconic One Hit Wonders.

DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK

How do early rock & roll songs go from being the devil's music to being used in prescription drug ads? How does Heavy Metal music go from being labeled as profane go on to be high school marching band staples? Rock & Roll has always been music for the young people, so history keeps repeating itself.

Elvis

The largest public collection of The King of Rock & Roll outside of Graceland. Featuring artifacts and an exclusive film (14 minutes) created in collaboration with Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool at Green Day’s Induction, 2015. 2015 inductees Green Day performed "American Idiot," "Basket Case" and "When I Come Around" at the ceremony.

Induction All Access: Photography by Kevin Mazur

Go inside a special collection of images taken by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony photographer Kevin Mazur. Browse the images and hear audio snippets from Mazur himself giving the story behind the incredible moments he's shot.

Cities & Sounds

Drop into the cities that sparked major shifts in rock & roll - rock's Big Bang in Memphis, Detroit's Motown scene, the Summer of Love in San Francisco, the supergroups of 70's L.A., Philly Soul, the simultaneous birth of Punk in New York, London, and L.A., and the Grunge movement from Seattle. You can also explore the early days of rock & roll in Rave On, the soulful sounds of R&B, and raw power of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal.

Legends of Rock & Roll

Get closer to rock’s iconic artists, from David Bowie to James Brown and The Supremes to Bruce Springsteen. Explore the unforgettable moments from rock’s history and their impact on generations of fans.

Rapper's Delight

Not since the early days of rock & roll has an African American-driven cultural art taken such a strong hold of mainstream American society as hip-hop. From Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five to Jay Z and beyond, explore the movement that has taken the world by storm.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones

The two biggest bands to come out of the British Invasion exist harmoniously in an Extension of the Legends of Rock & Roll exhibit. Find iconic Beatles instruments and artifacts from their days in the Cavern Club through their solo careers and show off your best moves like Mick Jagger in front of an amazing collection of stage outfits and posters from the Rolling Stones.

Jimi Hendrix by Baron Wolman courtesy Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Legends of Rock & Roll continued

Explore the Rock Hall's massive collection of Jimi Hendrix stage outfits, guitars, handwritten lyrics, and drawings as well as exhibits featuring U2, The Doors, and Public Enemy.

Right Here, Right Now

What's next for rock? Explore some of rock's most recent chart-topping artists and see how the next generation's influences have been shaped.

The Music of Cleveland and the Midwest

Cleveland earned its place on the rock and roll map in the early '50s when local disc jockey Alan Freed was the first to call the R&B music he was playing on his nightly radio show “rock and roll.” From then on, the Midwest has played a crucial role in rock's expansion across the country and generations.

CLEVELAND AMPLIFIED

The Cavs and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame collaboration features the “Cleveland Amplified” exhibit at the museum in Cleveland. The exclusive exhibit features artifacts that speak to the longstanding connection between music and sports, including: Larry Nance Jr.’s #22 2020-21 City Edition uniform, Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam Poster, Russell “Rusty” Pistachio of H20 Jersey, Chuck D of Public Enemy Shoes, and “Come On Cavs (Got to Make It Happen)” 1975 Record. EXHIBIT CLOSES: TBA

Hall of Fame

Play it Loud

Rock hall

Follow us

Other

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
216.781.ROCK (7625)

Rock Hall is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit in the United States.

This website uses cookie data. Read our Privacy Policy for more information. By using this website you agree to our Privacy Policy.