Rock & Roll Hall of Fame expansion signals new era
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A rendering of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's expansion. Photo: Courtesy of Rock Hall and Higley Construction
Get ready to see the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame like you never have before.
Why it matters: Construction on the museum's $135 million expansion is set to be nearly complete by November, marking a new chapter for Cleveland's top tourist attraction.
Driving the news: On Monday, the Rock Hall unveiled its 2026 inductees, who will be honored during a ceremony on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.
- Museum president and CEO Greg Harris confirmed to Axios that the inductions will return to Cleveland every three years starting in 2027.
Yes, but: It marks a change from a previous plan that would have brought the inductions here every other year.
What they're saying: The decision came down to money and logistics.
- "After seeing the cost of hosting the ceremony in 2021 and 2024, we felt more comfortable with every three years," Harris says.
State of play: That puts the museum's focus in 2026 squarely on the expansion, which will increase the venue from 155,000 to 205,000 square feet.
- The new-look Rock Hall will include a 10,000-square-foot gallery for large traveling exhibits, a state-of-the-art education center and a 3,000-person concert/event space.
The big picture: The expansion positions the Rock Hall as the centerpiece of the city's planned lakefront transformation, which will lose the Browns' stadium in 2029 and possibly Burke Lakefront Airport.
- "The lakefront plans are exciting," says Harris, "but controlling our own destiny, regardless of what's around us or what isn't, is what's most important."
What's next: The museum will be removing its "Long Live Rock" sign in front of the museum within the next few weeks. A similar "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" sign will eventually replace it.
- The "Paul McCartney and Wings" exhibition will open May 15, followed by a lobby exhibit highlighting 50 years of punk rock.
The bottom line: Harris says the expansion and future fundraising are aimed at setting up the Rock Hall for the next 30 years.
- "This is about the museum thriving and our successors not having to face the same challenges we did."
