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Worcester Memorial Auditorium
Worcester, MA
Opened: September 26, 1933
Worcester Memorial Auditorium (also known simply as "the Aud") is a multi-purpose arena located at Lincoln Square in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built in 1933 to honor the sacrifices of Worcester citizens during times of war. The building includes a multi-purpose auditorium originally designed to seat 3,500–4,500 people, a smaller entertainment space known as the Little Theater designed to seat 675, and the Shrine of the Immortal, a war memorial with murals by renowned artist Leon Kroll commemorating the 355 soldiers and nurses from Worcester who fell during World War I. The Aud was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as part of the Institutional District. In 2009, Preservation Massachusetts included Lincoln Square on its "Most Endangered Historic Resources" list, because the square's three historic buildings – the Aud, the old Worcester County Courthouse, and the Lincoln Square Boys Club – were all empty or underutilized.

At the end of World War I, Worcester's leading citizens decided to construct a public auditorium to commemorate the 355 local residents who lost their lives during the conflict, and more generally to honor the sacrifices of Worcester residents in times of war. It took more than a decade to secure land for the building. When the original plans to construct an auditorium on the Common fell through, the present location at Lincoln Square was selected instead. Construction began in 1931 and was completed in 1933 at a cost of $2 million. A dedication ceremony took place on September 26, 1933, during which the Aud was declared "an enduring tribute to those whose sacrifice was sublime, a majestic memorial for the use and benefit of many generations".

Throughout the twentieth century, the Aud served as the center of Worcester's civic and cultural life. Concerts, basketball games, high school and college graduations, fundraisers, and election day polling all took place in the main hall. Before the Hart Center opened in 1975, the building was home to both the Bay State Bombardiers of the Continental Basketball Association and the Holy Cross Crusaders, whose young star, Bob Cousy, played often on the auditorium court. The hall hosted Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue as well as many other performers, including Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, the Rolling Stones, and Phish. The Aud even served as a shelter after the Worcester tornado hit.
Last 10 Games
Date Opponents Result
Feb 15, 1973Providence @ Holy Cross 94 - 75