Worcester Memorial Auditorium facts for kids
Worcester Memorial Auditorium (also known as "the Aud") is a large building in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built in 1933 to remember the brave people from Worcester who served in wars.
The Aud has a big main hall that could hold thousands of people. It also has a smaller theater called the Little Theater. A special part of the building is the Shrine of the Immortal. This is a war memorial with amazing paintings by artist Leon Kroll. These paintings honor the 355 soldiers and nurses from Worcester who died in World War I.
In 1980, the Aud was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical building. For a while, the Aud and other old buildings nearby were empty. But in 2016, people started looking into new ways to use the Aud. A group suggested it could become a place for digital ideas, entertainment, and art.
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The Aud
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| Address | Lincoln Square Worcester, Massachusetts United States |
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| Owner | City of Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Capacity | 3,508 |
| Current use | Vacant |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1933 |
| Architect | Frederic C. Hirons and L. W. Briggs Company |
Contents
What the Aud Looks Like
The Aud was designed by Frederic C. Hirons and L. W. Briggs Company. It has a classic style, like old Greek or Roman buildings. Inside, it has cool Art Deco designs. The building is made from strong granite, limestone, and marble.
At the front, there are five big bronze doors. There are also eight huge columns. Above these columns, a message is carved: "To honor the services in war of her sons and daughters and to nourish in peace their spirit of sacrifice, a grateful city erected this building." This means the city built it to remember those who served in war.
The Aud is five stories tall. It has the main auditorium, the Shrine of the Immortal, and the Little Theater.
Amazing Murals
Artist Leon Kroll created the beautiful murals in the Shrine of the Immortal. These paintings took three years to finish, from 1938 to 1941. Two murals show U.S. Army and Navy soldiers fighting in World War I. The third and largest mural shows a soldier going to Heaven. Around him are people from all walks of life, together in peace. When it was finished, this was the biggest mural of its kind in the United States!
Giant Pipe Organ
In 1933, a huge Kimball pipe organ was put into the auditorium. It has 6,853 pipes! The part you play (the console) can move up and down. It can go from the stage to the floor below. Even though it's very old, the organ still works today!
A Look Back at the Aud's History
After World War I, people in Worcester wanted to build a public hall. It would remember the 355 local people who died in the war. It would also honor everyone from Worcester who served in wars.
It took over ten years to find the right place for the building. Finally, the spot at Lincoln Square was chosen. Construction started in 1931 and finished in 1933. It cost $2 million to build. On September 26, 1933, the Aud was officially opened. People said it was a "majestic memorial" for many generations to use.
For many years, the Aud was a very busy place in Worcester. It hosted concerts, basketball games, and school graduations. Fundraisers and even election voting happened there. Before 1975, it was home to basketball teams like the Bay State Bombardiers and the Holy Cross Crusaders. Famous musicians like Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, the Rolling Stones, and Phish all performed there. The Aud even helped people by serving as a shelter after a tornado hit Worcester.
Over time, new sports and performance places were built in Worcester. The Aud became less used. After 2000, parts of it were used for a short time as a court or for storage. But most of the building became empty and started to fall apart. The Aud has been empty since 2008. Some organ performances happened until 2016. But then a burst pipe caused a lot of damage, and the building could no longer be used by the public. Today, it's sometimes used for police training.
The Aud's Future
In May 2019, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette newspaper shared exciting news. The city of Worcester agreed to sell the Aud to the Architectural Heritage Foundation (AHF). AHF plans to buy the building and spend $94 million to fix it up. They want to turn it into a center for education and culture, especially linked to the digital world.
Their plans include:
- Keeping the outside of the building, the Shrine of the Immortal murals, the Kimball pipe organ, and the lobby.
- Making the main auditorium ready for competitive gaming (called esports) and performances.
- Turning the Little Theater into an IMAX-style movie place for entertainment and learning.
- Making the memorial hall into a nice restaurant.
- Turning other spaces into digital labs, game rooms, and offices.
These plans came from a two-year study by AHF. In the past, people had other ideas for the Aud. Some wanted to move the Higgins Armory museum there. Others thought about a market like Faneuil Hall. There were even ideas for a research center. But these ideas, and calls to tear down the building, did not happen.
